The San Fernando Sun's Podcast: Recent Episodes
The San Fernando Sun
RESEDA (CNS) – A 19-year-old man suspected of fatally shooting a man at a Metro Orange Line bus stop in Reseda was arrested after fleeing to Mexico, police said today. Angel Garcia of Tarzana was identified by Operations-Valley Bureau homicide detectives as the killer of Brandyn Rodrigo Mendez, 28, of Van Nuys, police said. Further investigation revealed that Garcia likely fled to Mexico after the Aug. 4 shooting and a warrant was obtained for his arrest, police said. Members of the Los Angeles Police Department Gang and Narcotic Division and FBI Fugitive Task Force located Garcia in Mexico last Tuesday....
RESEDA (CNS) – Police are searching today for a suspected serial arsonist who has been setting fires in Reseda, several reported overnight. There were at least six fires reported from 11 p.m. Monday to 1 a.m. Tuesday and most started around the Reseda Boulevard and Vanowen Street intersection. A truck parked in the neighborhood was set on fire and firefighters were able to put it out. Debris and foilage in the bed of the truck were on fire and it caused significant damage, according to reports from ABC7. There have been 14 fires set in the past three days in the...
PACOIMA (CNS) – Two men inside a pick-up truck suffered critical injuries when their vehicle broadsided a Los Angeles Fire Department rescue ambulance this morning at an intersection in Pacoima, authorities said. The two paramedics inside the rescue ambulance suffered minor tomoderate injuries and were transported to a hospital in fair condition. The injuries were not considered life threatening, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. Firefighters and paramedics were dispatched at 12:35 a.m. to Van Nuys Boulevard and San Fernando Road. The pickup truck struck a nearby utility pole, after crashing into therescue ambulance, said Brian Humphrey of the Los...
PACOIMA (CNS) – Two men inside a pick-up truck suffered critical injuries when their vehicle broadsided a Los Angeles Fire Department rescue ambulance this morning at an intersection in Pacoima, authorities said. The two paramedics inside the rescue ambulance suffered minor tomoderate injuries and were transported to a hospital in fair condition. The injuries were not considered life threatening, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. Firefighters and paramedics were dispatched at 12:35 a.m. to Van Nuys Boulevard and San Fernando Road. The pickup truck struck a nearby utility pole, after crashing into therescue ambulance, said Brian Humphrey of the Los...
By Fred Shuster City News Service VAN NUYS (CNS) – A man who went on a killing spree in the San Fernando Valley — gunning down his father, brother, a woman he knew and a total stranger on a bus — was sentenced Thursday, Sept. 7, to 127 years to life in state prison after about a dozen family members gave emotional impact statements. Gerry Dean Zaragoza, 31, who is unemployed and described by family members as violent and having a history of drug use, pleaded guilty last month to four counts of first-degree murder, two counts of attempted murder...
SYLMAR (CNS) – A Sylmar family today was mourning the loss of an 87-year-old grandmother who was killed when the parked car she was exiting was struck by a suspected impaired driver. Police said the crash occurred about 8:45 p.m. Thursday in the 14000 block of Foothill Boulevard, where a northbound Ford Fusion struck the parked vehicle. The female driver of the parked car was not seriously injured, but her passenger was thrown from the vehicle and onto the ground, police said. The woman died of her injuries. The allegedly impaired driver of the Fusion continued north on Foothill, eventually...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Health officials Thursday, Sept. 7, reported the first death of the year in Los Angeles County attributed to West Nile virus. The patient, who was not identified, lived in the San Fernando Valley, was hospitalized and died from West Nile-associated neuro-invasive disease, according to the county Department of Public Health. “I send my deepest condolences to the family and friends of this resident who sadly passed away from West Nile virus,” Dr. Muntu Davis, the county health officer, said in a statement. “Their death reminds us how important it is to protect ourselves from mosquitoes and...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Federal authorities sought the public’s help Wednesday to find a 49-year-old man with ties to Southern California who is suspected of taking part in the storming of the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. Paul Belosic, who also goes by the name Jeff Thomas Redding, is also believed to have ties to Mexico and Southern Europe, according to the FBI. He allegedly forced his way with other rioters into the U.S. Capitol through the Lower West Terrace tunnel. FBI officials said he was at the front line of rioters making their way into the Capitol, then...
Danny Masterson Wikimedia LOS ANGELES (CNS) -“That ’70s Show” actor Danny Masterson was sentenced today to the maximum of 30 years to life in state prison for raping two women at his Hollywood Hills home about two decades ago. Superior Court Judge Charlaine F. Olmedo told the 47-year-old actor shortly before imposing the sentence that she knew that he is “sitting here steadfastly on your claims of innocence.” “Mr. Masterson, you are not the victim here,” the judge said, telling him that his actions had taken away another person’s voice and choice and that the victims each reported the rapes...
PACOIMA (CNS) – A bystander is in the hospital today recovering after he was shot by at least two assailants in a drive-by shooting in Pacoima. Los Angeles Police Department officers were called at 11:38 p.m. Wednesday to 12465 Adelphia Avenue, south of Foothill Boulevard where they learned the suspect drove up to a woman and fired at her, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. Witnesses told police the woman seemed to be the target of the shooting but the bullets struck the man, who was walking nearby. The woman was not injured, police said. The victim was taken...
Suicide was among the top nine leading causes of death for people ages 10 to 64 in 2021. That’s the alarming statistic from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as we observe National Suicide Prevention Month in September. Poor mental health affects many people today, crosses all lines and can impact both young and old. The CDC said that suicide rates have increased by approximately 36 percent between 2000-2021. In 2021 alone, an estimated 12.3 million American adults seriously thought about suicide, 3.5 million planned a suicide attempt and 1.7 million people attempted suicide. Although there have been...
As summer begins to give way to autumn weather and the fall semester is well underway, it’s an ideal opportunity to remind parents and caretakers that today’s teens face unique stressors and social pressures with the potential to pose serious risks to their mental health and well-being. September is National Suicide Prevention Month, a time for survivors, loved ones, mental health experts and suicide prevention organizations to raise awareness about the importance of providing support and treatment for those who need it most, especially young people, said Dr. Cheryl L. Green, a board certified psychiatrist and professor at Loma Linda...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A San Fernando Valley man has been scheduled for sentencing Dec. 5 for fraudulently obtaining 5,108 in COVID-19 pandemic relief loans from a financial institution and the Small Business Administration. Artur Chanchikyan, 55, of Porter Ranch, pleaded guilty Thursday, Aug. 24, to one federal count of wire fraud, according to the US Attorney’s Office. Chanchikyan was the owner of Gentle Touch Home Health Care Inc., a home health agency located in North Hollywood. In December 2019, he was placed under Medicare payment suspension based on fraud allegations. While under suspension, Chanchikyan applied for a Paycheck Protection...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A federal jury awarded .8 million in damages to the mother of a man who was fatally shot by two Los Angeles police officers while he was holding a metal bar that police initially believed was a machete. Jesse Murillo was fatally shot Dec. 23, 2017, near his home in the 8100 block of De Soto Avenue in Canoga Park, where officers had responded to a family disturbance call. At the time, police said officers who responded to the scene found a person with a dislocated shoulder who was allegedly injured during an altercation with Murillo....
A California State University, Northridge communication studies professor has collaborated with a team of Cornell researchers to develop and test novel e-cigarette warnings messages with two key and divergent populations: non-smoking youth and adult smokers. As the FDA declared a vaping epidemic, Motasem Kalaji, a professor in the CSUN Department of Communication Studies co-authored a research paper published in June 2023. The paper explored how key audience members perceive and respond to different e-cigarette warning statements that communicate potential health risks. “I don’t think there’s such a thing as a message for all,” Kalaji said. “Usually with health warning messages,...
It happened at a taco stand in Watts, where an African American woman instigated a violent attack against a street vendor. Before fleeing the scene in a pink Lexus sedan, she hurled profanity, threw a street sign and physically assaulted the vendor for allegedly refusing to serve her, because the woman had reportedly taken tacos from the stand on multiple occasions without paying. Fortunately, the incident was captured on video, which eventually made its way to the Facebook account of activist and street vendor advocate Edin Alex Enamorado, who shared the video with his 11,000 followers. As a result, the...
In late July, residents of a Sylmar neighborhood breathed a tentative sigh of relief when their problematic neighbor Cruz Florian Godoy was ordered to shut down and vacate the makeshift RV park on her property that was overflowing with tenants and literally leaking human waste onto local city streets. But almost one month later, it seems like it was before, according to neighbors. “Nothing has really changed – there are still people living there, the RVs are still there and the smell is still terrible,” Nancy Roman Caino told the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol, adding that they have not...
BURBANK (CNS) – Burbank police today sought the public’s help to identify pickpocket suspects believed to have stolen wallets and purses from people while they were shopping at retailers in recent months. In three such crimes, “the suspects targeted elderly retail shoppers, stealing their wallets in distraction style thefts,” police said. Police also said, “Detectives have noted a common pattern among thieves who are targeting shoppers carrying purses or bags while shopping at local retailers. In these instances, multiple suspects will work together to distract the victim by talking to them or brushing up against them while pretending to shop...
PACOIMA (CNS) – After overcoming water supply problems at a fire, Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters battled and eventually extinguished the blaze at a one-story automotive shop in Pacoima. Fire crews were called at 3:33 a.m. to 9800 San Fernando Road and West Branford Street where they encountered difficulties with nearby hydrants and used ladder pipes and large diameter hand lines to get control of the blaze, said LAFD spokeswoman Margaret Stewart. Several vehicles were burning inside the shop and firefighters began transitioning to an offensive attack with handlines because the remaining fire was deeply seated in stacks of tires, Stewart...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Southland residents were asked to remain indoors today as Tropical Storm Hilary took aim at Southern California, with heavy rainfall and flooding expected toward the middle of the day. With Southern California under a tropical storm watch for the first time in its history, Gov. Gavin Newsom issued a State of Emergency, and Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass did likewise and activated the city’s Emergency Operations Center at Level 2 — one level short of the most critical status. “We asked Angelinos to stay inside today,” Bass said. “The timing of this could become earlier. We...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – With Hurricane Hilary strengthening to Category 4 status in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Baja California as it makes its way toward Southern California, a first-of-its-kind tropical storm warning was issued today for a wide swath of the region including Catalina Island and northern Los Angeles County. The watch, which indicates that “tropical-storm-force winds are possible somewhere within this area within the next 48 hours,” is the first ever issued in Southern California, according to the National Weather Service. A tropical storm has not made landfall in California since 1939, forecasters said. In Los...
Ivan Isaac Ramirez GLENDALE (CNS) – On the day Southland law enforcement officials announced a regional effort to crack down on flash-mob-style smash-and-grab robberies, Glendale police today arrested a 23-year-old man suspected of taking part in such a heist at the Americana at Brand Mall last week. Ivan Isaac Ramirez of Los Angeles was arrested Thursday morning for allegedly participating in the Aug. 8 robbery at the Yves Saint Laurent store at the mall, police said. He was booked on suspicion of organized retail theft, burglary, grand theft and conspiracy. Brianna Jimenez Police also identified a second suspect who is...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Authorities today were looking for several men who robbed six taco vendors at gunpoint the night before. The crimes occurred between 9:40 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Wednesday at various locations within the Hollywood, Rampart, Northeast and Central Divisions, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The locations targeted were: — in Hollywood Division, in the 5900 block of Santa Monica Boulevard, and in the 6200 block of Hollywood Boulevard; — in Rampart Division, in the 300 block of South Bixel Street and in the 600 block of South Union Avenue; — in Northeast Division, in the...
Breastfeeding, according to health experts, provides babies with the building blocks for a healthy life, and also helps mothers lower their risk of certain health problems, including breast cancer. August is National Breastfeeding Awareness Month, and Dr. Danielle I. Schneider, a pediatrician with Kaiser Permanente Southern California, notes that breastfeeding your child should always be your first choice as it’s the best option for your baby’s health. African American mothers are still 2.5 times less likely to breastfeed than white women, according to National Institutes of Health (NIH). A 16 percentage-point gap in the prevalence of continued breastfeeding for 6...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles City Councilwoman introduced a motion Tuesday, Aug. 15, seeking to ban cashless retail businesses in the city in an effort to empower residents who may not have bank accounts or were denied access to credit. “Cashless businesses create an economy in our city that is not inclusive and accessible for all people,” Hutt said in a statement. “There are many unbanked groups … that rely on cash to pay for goods and services.” “As a city that has promised to be a safe and fair place for all, we must be proactive in ensuring...
The Van Nuys Airport community has stepped forward to help victims of the Maui wildfires. The aircraft, fuel, personnel, and relief supplies donated by the tenants and employees of Van Nuys airport were flown directly to Maui on Friday, Aug. 11, and on Tuesday, Aug. 15, and was all made possible through their personal effort. On Tuesday, Clay Lacy Aviation deployed an Embraer Legacy 600 aircraft – a corporate aircraft that can seat 30-35 people and the flight crew. For this trip, the plane was empty of passengers and instead was filled with 1,200 pounds of boxes and goods that...
Courtesy of CC0 Public Domain LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles City Councilwoman introduced a motion today seeking to ban cashless retail businesses in the city in an effort to empower residents who may not have bank accounts or are denied access to credit. “Cashless businesses create an economy in our city that is not inclusive and accessible for all people,” Hutt said in a statement. “There are many unbanked groups … that rely on cash to pay for goods and services.” “As a city that has promised to be a safe and fair place for all, we must be...
SOUTH PASADENA (CNS) – A passenger in the backseat of a vehicle was killed this morning when it crashed into a garage at a home in South Pasadena, authorities said. Oscar Bejarano Jr. was a 21-year-old resident of North Hills, the medical examiner’s office said. “The impact was significant enough to push a vehicle parked in the garage through the back wall,” said Sgt. Craig Phillips of the South Pasadena Police Department. According to police, a silver 2020 Infiniti driven by 21-year-old SunValley resident David Silva was speeding southbound on Orange Grove Avenue and approaching Oliver Street at 1:51 a.m....
CANOGA PARK (CNS) – A mob of up to 50 masked and hoodie-wearing people smashed displays and grabbed merchandise at the Canoga Park Nordstrom store today. The mass-shoplifting occurred just after 4 p.m. at the store at 21725Victory Blvd., east of Topanga Canyon Boulevard in the Westfield Topanga Mall, said Los Angeles Police Department spokesman Pedro Muniz. Cell phone video posted on X showed male and female suspects grabbing clothing and bags and running from the store. There were 30 to 50 people, involved, Muniz said. The mall was not evacuated, he said. An ambulance was summoned to the store...
GLENDALE (CNS) – A 37-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of peeping and prowling at a Glendale home where children were present,authorities said today. Calese Carron Crowder has also emerged as a person of interest in related cases, according to Sgt. Victor Jackson of the Glendale PoliceDepartment. Detectives obtained an arrest warrant after suspecting Crowder in a peeping incident last Sunday, Jackson said. “In the most recent incident, Crowder is accused of peeping into the occupied residence of a Glendale family, he said. The family, including children, were home at the time of the incident. Glendale police patrol officers...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Compounding the financial fallout from the largest gas leak in U.S. history, the California Public Utilities Commission announced today it has agreed to a million settlement with Southern California Gas Co. over the 2015 Aliso Canyon leak near Porter Ranch that forced thousands of residents from their homes. The settlement will become effective in 30 days unless a party to the case opts to appeal or a member of the CPUC requests a review. SoCalGas spokesman Chris Gilbride told City News Service in a statement, “We are pleased to resolve this important matter after almost...
By Steven Herbert City News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Dodgers tonight will retire the No. 34 worn by legendary left-hander Fernando Valenzuela, breaking precedent to honor one of the most popular players in team history. Sen. Alex Padilla, retired Dodger broadcaster Jaime Jarrín and Dodger president and CEO Stan Kasten are set to join Valenzuela in speaking at the 6:20 p.m. ceremony that will be televised by SportsNet LA before Friday’s 7:10 p.m. game against the Colorado Rockies. Since the Dodgers began retiring jerseys in 1972, all but one of the 11 jerseys before Valenzuela’s were worn by...
SAN FERNANDO (CNS) – A 46-year-old man struck and killed by a Metrolink train in San Fernando was identified today by the Los Angeles County Medical Examiner’s Office. Firefighters responded to the 1100 block of Truman Street, near North Maclay Avenue, around 6:15 p.m. Wednesday regarding a fatal collision, according to spokesman Brian Humphrey of the Los Angeles Fire Department. San Fernando resident David Padilla Jr. was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the medical examiner’s office. There were no other injuries. The San Fernando Police Department is conducting an investigation. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
CDPH is reminding families to get up to date on all vaccinations for back to school As the new school year approaches, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) urges children, teens, and adults to get required and recommended vaccines. “Vaccinations help children, teen, and adult’s immune systems recognize and fight off contagious diseases, keeping them healthy so they can grow, learn, and thrive while in school,” said Dr. Tomás J. Aragón, CDPH Director and State Public Health Officer. “If you haven’t done so already, check with your child’s doctor to find out what immunizations they need.” California law requires...
(StatePoint) As students return to classrooms, doctors say that it’s important to ensure that children are up-to-date with routine childhood vaccinations. “The evidence around vaccinations is abundantly clear; they’re safe, effective and will help protect you, your loved ones and your community from preventable diseases. If you have questions about vaccines, their safety or effectiveness, please speak to your physician. We are here for you, eager to answer your questions, and ensure your family is protected,” says Jesse M. Ehrenfeld, M.D., M.P.H., president of the American Medical Association (AMA). In an effort to promote a safer, healthier school year for...
City Councilwoman Cindy Montañez was moved when the motion was made to name the pocket park located on 801 Eighth St. in her honor. It’s a park that she knows well, explained Councilman Joel Fajardo who made the motion. “This park has a beautiful history – even before she was elected [to the San Fernando Council], she spearheaded it. Although a lot of people had forgotten about it, she made sure to beautify it and appreciate the park,” said Fajardo. The park, he said, hasn’t had a name. “People have referred to it as where the horses used to be...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – L.A. Care, a health insurance plan for Los Angeles County’s neediest residents, announced more than million in grants today to help address the shortage of non-physician certified and licensed professionals at a dozen clinics that serve low-income communities. “Each clinic will receive up to 5,000 to help them improve patient access through increased staffing, specifically workers who share a racial or ethnic background with the patients they are serving,” L.A. Care CEO John Baackes said in a statement. “The lack of diversity among health care staff hinders efforts toward health equity. L.A. Care is working...
GLENDALE (CNS) – The search was continuing today for a “flash mob” of suspects who robbed a Yves Saint Laurent store at the Americana at Brand Mall in Glendale, police said. The crime occurred about 4:50 p.m. Tuesday, when “at least 30 suspects flooded the store,” Glendale Police Department Sgt. Victor Jackson said in a statement Wednesday afternoon. “The suspects stole clothing and other merchandise before fleeing on foot and leaving the location in numerous vehicles,” Jackson said, “While still under investigation, the estimated loss is approximately 0,000.” “These ‘flash mob’ burglaries involve a large, coordinated group of individuals simultaneously...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Federal prosecutors are recommending a six-year prison sentence for former City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas, who was convicted of bribery, fraud and conspiracy charges for steering county contracts toward the USC School of Social Work in exchange for the secret funneling of a 0,000 contribution to an organization run by his son, according to court papers filed Monday, Aug. 7. “This was a shakedown,” prosecutors wrote in a 32-page sentencing memorandum. “Not the kind in movies with bags of cash or threats of force. But the kind that is polite and pervasive. The kind that happens too...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – One of two people killed in a fiery plane crash at Van Nuys Airport was identified today. According to the Los Angeles Medical Examiner’s Office, 24-year-old Los Angeles resident Robert Ridgley Spencer was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash that occurred at about 10:30 a.m. Wednesday. The name of the second occupant of the single-engine plane was withheld pending notification of relatives. In a news briefing at the airport Wednesday afternoon, LAFD Capt. Erik Scott said the plane hit the ground “nose first” in a “very high impact” crash. Firefighters from a nearby fire...
California Attorney General Rob Bonta is reminding California veterans who were exposed to dangerous toxins in the course of their service to submit a claim for Veterans Administration (VA) benefits or notify the VA of their intent to file to obtain benefits under the Sergeant First Class Heath Robinson Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act by Aug. 9. The PACT Act expands the eligibility of veterans exposed to toxic substances like burn pits and Agent Orange — as well as certain surviving family members of veterans — VA healthcare coverage and financial compensation. While there is no deadline to apply for benefits provided under the PACT Act, veterans eligible...
RESEDA (CNS) – Police are hunting for the shooter who killed one person and wounded another at a Metro Orange Line bus stop in Reseda Friday, Aug. 4. Officers responding to a call of a shooting at Reseda Boulevard and Oxnard Street at about 7:30 p.m. Friday found two victims in the parking lot suffering from multiple gunshot wounds, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. Paramedics rushed both victims to a hospital, where Brandyn Rodrigo Mendez, 28, of Van Nuys died from his wounds. The other victim was listed in stable condition. “The two victims had arrived at the Orange...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – There were no tickets sold with all six numbers in the latest drawing of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery, pushing the estimated jackpot for Tuesday’s drawing to [post_excerpt].55 billion, the third-largest U.S. lottery jackpot. There were nine tickets sold with five numbers, but missing the Mega number, the Multi-State Lottery Association, which conducts the game, announced. One ticket each sold in Michigan and Tennessee are worth million because the player utilized the Megaplier option, where for an additional [post_excerpt] any non-jackpot prize is multiplied by the Megaplier number drawn, according to according to the Multi-State...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles City Council formally welcomed Imelda Padilla Tuesday as a voting member and certified her victory in the Sixth District special election. The council had appointed Padilla as a temporary voting member on July 5 while final results of her victory over council aide Marisa Alcaraz were being certified by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk’s office. Padilla took the oath of office at that time, joined by her family, saying the Sixth District is “ready to have a voting member” and “to have someone advocate on their behalf.” During Tuesday’s council meeting, Padilla...
At the Sylmar home that its owner turned her backyard into a makeshift RV park, a white fence has been erected along the front of the property to prevent onlookers from peeking inside. However, one can see that the RVs have been moved from the backyard to the front. This is after the owner, Cruz Godoy, had been ordered to vacate her property, remove the RVs and clean up the property. But for neighbors, the so-called “cleanup” has brought new concerns. Neighbors have noticed chemicals being sprayed, either to disinfect the property or mask the smell of the waste. The...
By JOSE HERRERACity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles city officials today continued to push out their message that “help is available” to ensure that tenants remain housed — as Angelenos face a deadline of tomorrow to repay back rent for the first 18 months of the coronavirus pandemic. “I want to close by emphasizing that our goal is to keep people in their homes,” Mayor Karen Bass said during a Monday morning news conference at City Hall. “The city is taking unprecedented actions to keep Angelenos inside, and to make sure that landlords, especially small landlords, do...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Actor/comedian Paul Reubens, best known for his portrayal of alter-ego Pee-wee Herman, has died at age 70 after a battle with cancer, a diagnosis he had kept private, his estate announced today. “Last night we said farewell to Paul Reubens, an iconic American actor, comedian, writer and producer whose beloved character Pee-wee Herman delighted generations of children and adults with his positivity, whimsy and belief in the importance of kindness,” according to a statement posted on the official Pee-wee Herman Instagram page. “Paul bravely and privately fought cancer for years with his trademark tenacity and wit....
By Jason Strickler The US Supreme Court decided last month to essentially overrule the Grutter v Bollinger Case of 2003, which allowed race to play a vital role in the student admission process in higher education. The recent ruling was decided on the basis that Asian American students were being discriminated against during the admission process at Harvard. According to page three of the Petition of Writ of Certiorari presented on February 5, 2021, “Harvard’s mistreatment of Asian-American applicants is appalling. Harvard penalizes them because, according to its admissions office, they lack leadership and confidence and are less likable and...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – An Agoura Hills accountant pleaded guilty Tuesday, July 25, to lying to federal investigators about his role laundering proceeds of an illegal gambling operation that was orchestrated by a former minor-league baseball player and led to charges against former Dodger slugger Yasiel Puig. William Eric Fulton, 59, pleaded guilty to a single count of making false statements, according to the US Attorney’s Office. He was scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 29, when he faces up to five years in prison. Under the terms of his plea deal, Fulton agreed to pay a fine of at least...
LANCASTER (CNS) – A 59-year-old woman who has been diagnosed with a mental health disorder and reported missing nearly two months after she last had contact with her family has been found, authorities said today. Leanne Larae Bernard last contacted her family on June 1, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department’s Information Bureau. She has since been found. It’s unclear where Bernard was located. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Authorities today announced that 139 people were arrested during a multi-agency operation in five Southland counties that targeted internet crimes against children. “Operation Online Guardian” was conducted earlier this month by the Los Angeles Regional Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes personnel from 102 agencies in Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. LAPD Chief Michel Moore LAPD Chief Michel Moore was among numerous law-enforcement officials who participated in the Wednesday morning announcement at LAPD headquarters. Among those also scheduled to attend were representatives...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The U.S. won the gold medal in the FIBA U19 Women’s World Cup with a 69-66 victory over Spain today in Madrid, with UCLA guard Kiki Rice added an insurance free throw with seven seconds left after Ohio State forward Cotie McMahon made the tie-breaking layup with 22 seconds to play. The U.S. entered the fourth quarter with a 54-52 lead. Incoming Notre Dame freshman guard Hannah Hidalgo’s 3-point basket off Rice’s assist with 6:14 remaining capped a tie-breaking 8-0 run that gave the U.S. a 62-54 lead. Guard Elena Buenavida scored five points during Spain’s...
CHATSWORTH (CNS) – A motorist was found dead today in a vehicle that crashed over the side of an embankment in the Chatsworth area. Firefighters were sent to the 22400 block of West Santa Susana Pass Road at about 10:30 a.m., according to Nicholas Prange of the Los Angeles Fire Department. “Firefighters found a vehicle over the side of Santa Susana Pass Road, with one occupant, driver, deceased,” Prange said in a statement. “One canine was located in or near the vehicle (and) appears to be in good condition.” Information was not immediately available on the identity of the person...
Although a court order was issued to vacate the property by noon on Sunday, residents of the makeshift RV park on Hubbard Street in Sylmar were still packing up their belongings today. One resident was Jesus Rodriguez, who lived on the property for a year and a half. He had to miss work so he could gather all his belongings into his car. Rodriguez described the moving out process as “chaotic,” saying that he had a flat-screen TV that he can’t find after leaving it out. Rodriguez said that he has been moved to a shelter, but he doesn’t know...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A man was killed this morning in a multiple-vehicle crash on the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway in Pacoima. The crash occurred at 2:48 a.m. on the eastbound Ronald Reagan Freeway at the Golden State (5) Freeway, according to California Highway Patrol Officer Elizabeth Kravig. The man was pronounced dead at the scene, Kravig said. A news videographer at the scene said a pickup truck and sports car collided and that the man was trapped inside the sports car. Firefighters used hydraulic tools to free the man before he was pronounced dead. The CHP issued a SigAlert...
GRANADA HILLS (CNS) – Police today are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding a late-night shooting that killed a man in his 30s and wounded a 2-year toddler at the Granada Hills Recreation Center. Los Angeles Police Department officers were called at 11:20 p.m. Wednesday to the recreation center at Petit Avenue and Chatsworth Street regarding a shots fired call, an LAPD spokesman told City News Service. Upon their arrival officers found the man, who was pronounced dead at the scene. The young boy, who police said was on the recreation center’s playground with his mother when he was shot,...
As artificial intelligence rolls out to the public, a debate is sparking over its use in higher education. Educators point to the risks of students cheating with ChatGPT— the artificial intelligence app that can write essays, solve math problems and create art. But educators see the possibilities of embracing the new technology. Elizabeth Blakey, an associate professor of journalism at California State University, Northridge, sees the program as a potential tool in her classroom. “Why not teach the students how to use ChatGPT effectively?” Blakey said. “It’s here to stay. Fear isn’t going to make AI go away.” Blakey recently...
In a pre-trial courtroom hearing Wednesday, a judge granted an order to vacate the Sylmar property where human waste from around 20 RVs has been spilling onto the nearby sidewalks and streets. All the residents, including the property owner, must leave the property by Sunday, July 23. The decision was made on Wednesday morning, July 19, at Van Nuys Courthouse West. During the hearing, a defense attorney for the property owner — Cruz Florian Godoy — asked that the hearing be extended and that their client be released on her own recognizance. She was previously charged with two misdemeanors regarding...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A former physician from the High Desert is expected to be arraigned today on charges of illegally dispensing prescriptions for opioid painkillers and other often-abused substances during two-minute telemedicine sessions with a convicted narcotics trafficker and others from across the United States. Raphael Malikian, 38, who resides in Llano and Palmdale and called his medical practice Happy Family Medicine, faces updated federal charges of having illegally distributed narcotics “while acting and intending to act outside the usual course of professional practice and without a legitimate medical purpose,” according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. An 18-count indictment...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A woman killed when a wrong-way vehicle driven by a possibly impaired motorist slammed head-on into another vehicle on a Van Nuys street was identified today. Analeyda Rivas was 22 years old, according to the medical examiner’s office. Three other people — including a child — were injured in the crash, according to Margaret Stewart of the Los Angeles Fire Department. Paramedics rushed them to a hospital, but their conditions were not immediately available. The crash was reported at 3:18 a.m. Sunday at Saticoy Street and Sepulveda Boulevard, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. A...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Padrinos Juvenile Hall in Downey was officially back in business Friday, July 14, housing 171 youths who were transferred this week from one of two other county facilities deemed by the state to be unsuitable for housing young detainees. According to the county Probation Department, 87 youths were moved to Los Padrinos from Central Juvenile Hall in Lincoln Heights on Wednesday, followed by 84 more on Thursday. “It’s official — Los Padrinos is now a functioning juvenile hall and Central no longer houses youth,” county Interim Chief Probation Officer Guillermo Viera Rosa said in a...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The city of Los Angeles today invited Angelenos to come and celebrate the 42nd Lotus Festival this weekend, which will honor and showcase the people and culture of Indonesia. The festival will run July 15 -16 from noon to 8 p.m. at Echo Park. This annual event began in 1972, becoming one of the city’s largest festivals to promote awareness and understanding of the contributions of Asian and Pacific Islander people to the city of LA. “We’re so excited to welcome over 100,000 visitors to the iconic Echo Park Lake this year as the lotus flowers...
It’s very important to know how early detection and treatment for prostate cancer can be the difference between life and death among men diagnosed with that illness. Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer among men after nonmelanoma skin cancer. This year, prostate cancer is expected to claim the lives of about 34,700 men in the United States, according to cancer.net. In 2023, it’s estimated that approximately 288,300 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. One simple step men can take to detect prostate cancer in its early stages, when it’s most treatable, is through an annual PSA (prostate-specific...
On July 20 — Space Exploration Day — the California Science Center will commenceGo for Stack, the complex process of moving and lifting each of the space shuttle components into place for Endeavour’s upcoming 20-story vertical display in the future Samuel Oschin Air and Space Center, currently under construction. This technically challenging feat has never been done outside of a NASA facility. The installation of the two aft skirts, the base of the solid rocket boosters, will mark the first Go for Stack milestone and lay the foundation upon which the entire shuttle stack will be built. This is the...
Sheila E. at Huntington Beach Food Art & Music Festival 2014 Sheila E. (2023, July 9). In Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sheila_E. HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Sheila E. became the first female solo percussionist on the Hollywood Walk of Fame when her star was unveiled today, with Ringo Starr among the scheduled speakers. “I am honored, humbled, and blessed to receive this prestigious award,” the musician born Sheila Escovedo told City News Service. “This is a forever moment that I will cherish for the rest of my life.” Grammy and Oscar-winning R&B singer H.E.R. was also scheduled to speak at the 11:30 a.m. ceremony...
RESEDA (CNS) – A man has been arrested for allegedly committing a number of sexual assaults in Reseda, and detectives today urged other possible victims to contact police. Mario Orozco, 31, was booked on suspicion of sexual assault, after he allegedly “entered several residences” in the early morning hours of July 1 in the 18300 block of Vanowen Street in Reseda, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. “Los Angeles Police Department West Valley Division (detectives) conducted the investigation and were able to identify, locate and arrest Orozco for these crimes,” police said. Police circulated a photo of Orozco, and...
SYLMAR (CNS) – Three crosses outside a church in Sylmar were set ablaze today, prompting a hate crime investigation by police, fire and federal officials. The Los Angeles Fire Department initially responded at 5 a.m. to a report of a rubbish fire outside the Sylmar Christian Fellowship Church at 13901 Polk St. But when crews arrived, they found only the smoldering wood crosses, one of which had toppled over, according to the LAFD. Fire officials said the crosses appeared to have been doused in lighter fluid and set on fire. No injuries were reported. As is standard protocol for fires...
In Sylmar, near the corner of Hubbard Street and Fellows Avenue, unfortunate residents have been dealing with the foul smell of human waste spilling onto the streets for months. Although some have gone to local officials for assistance, a complicated jurisdiction hasn’t helped matters. The waste stems from a single plot of land that contains one house and around 20 RVs that are being occupied by renters. Although all the vehicles remain parked within a lot, which is on private property behind fences, the waste left behind is not — it’s being dumped onto the ground, concerning residents. One of...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles City Council appointed Imelda Padilla — who has a lead of more than 1,700 votes in the special election to represent the Sixth District — as a temporary voting member, Wednesday, July 5, while final results of the election are being certified. Padilla took the oath of office while joined by her family, and said the district is “ready to have a voting member” and “to have someone advocate on their behalf.” “I also want to of course give a special thank you to my family for everything that they’ve ever done for...
RESEDA (CNS) – A 30-year-old man was arrested in connection with an alleged sexual assault in Reseda, and police asked any possible additional victims to come forward. Blessing Wainiwheh was detained late Wednesday night, and detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s West Valley Division released his booking photo because they believe he may have targeted other victims. At about 9:55 p.m. Wednesday, Wainiwheh allegedly entered through a window of a woman’s residence in the 19500 block of Saticoy Street in Reseda, police said. He allegedly sexually assaulted the sleeping woman, then fled the location on foot in an unknown...
DIY Girls, founded by Assemblymember Luz Rivas, celebrated the opening of their new office in San Fernando at 1201 Truman Street with a ribbon-cutting ceremony Wednesday, June 28. In a statement, it was shared that they “are excited to be back in the community they serve.” Those in attendance included DIY Girl alumni, community members, and elected officials. The DIY Girls’ mission is to increase girls’ interest and long-term success in technology, engineering, and making through innovative educational experiences and mentor relationships. Their office will serve as the main headquarters for day-to-day operations. It will continue to offer after-school hands-on...
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Health (Public Health) is alerting residents and health care providers about a concerning increase in mpox cases, with six new cases reported in Los Angeles County in the past week, up from an average of less than one case per week during the preceding four weeks. Mpox (previously referred to as Monkeypox) is mainly spread through close contact with body fluids, sores, shared bedding or clothing or respiratory droplets (kissing, coughing, sneezing). Symptoms include rash or unusual sores that look like pimples or blisters on the face, body and genitals, fever, chills, headache,...
It was a noisy packed house with so many people it was hard to move inside the Chiguacle Restaurant in Sun Valley Tuesday night. Known as a friendly location for community events and a favorite of Congressman Tony Cárdenas, the location was selected to watch the results come in for the special election to fill the Sixth District seat vacated by Nury Martinez. With voter turnout of only 10.04%, it turned out to be a pretty early night with Imelda Padilla announcing victory over Marisa Alcaraz. Semifinal returns indicated Padilla had defeated Alcaraz 56.74%-43.26%, 6,684-5,096. Following her victory speech, Padilla...
With the Fourth of July weekend almost upon us, it’s likely that many are looking forward to backyard BBQs and extravagant fireworks. Although fireworks are illegal in the city of Los Angeles, that hasn’t stopped some from lighting up their own sparklers or roman candles. To provide northern San Fernando Valley residents a safer alternative while still keeping them entertained this weekend, Councilmember Monica Rodriguez has announced the Second Annual Drone Light Show and Festival at Hansen Dam, as well as the Third Annual Anonymous Fireworks Buyback Program. “I’m excited to present the second Independence Day Drone Light Show Festival,”...
WEST HILLS (CNS) – A cleanup of a homeless encampment in West Hills planned for Thursday was postponed resulting from an email from a Los Angeles Police Department senior lead officer the department called “highly inappropriate.” The statement from LAPD released Wednesday is in response to an email sent by Senior Lead Officer Brittney Gutierrez on June 14 regarding Thursday’s scheduled cleanup and sanitation, and being shared by Film The Police LA website on social media. The email states, “Everyone will be arrested and their belongings will be taken away by sanitation.” The Film The Police LA website is run...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Human remains discovered over the weekend near Mount Baldy were confirmed today to be those of actor Julian Sands, who disappeared while hiking in the area in January. According to the San Bernardino County coroner, a cause of death for the 65-year-old North Hollywood resident is still pending the results of further tests. The remains were found Saturday by a group of hikers, according to the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department. Sands, who was born in the United Kingdom, was reported missing by his family on Jan. 13. He had gone hiking near the Baldy Bowl...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – County authorities today identified a 41-year-old man who was shot to death in the North Hills area of Los Angeles. The shooting was reported at 4:20 p.m. Saturday in the 8600 block of Parthenia Place, near Burnet Avenue, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Drake Madison told City News Service. Lenin Munoz-Lumbi was identified as the victim of the shooting, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. Munoz-Lumbi was pronounced dead at the scene, Madison said. The person who called 911 claimed to have heard shots and found Munoz-Lumbi down in the street, the officer said....
GLENDALE (CNS) – Two men suspected in a stabbing in a food truck in Glendale that caused two victims to be hospitalized have been arrested, police said Thursday. Officers responded to the 300 block of West Broadway, near Central Avenue, around 11 p.m. on June 14 to a report about two victims stabbed in the area, according to Sgt. Victor Jackson, the Glendale Police Department’s public information officer. Two men approached a food truck, brandishing a knife, prompting a male customer to intervene, which resulted in him being stabbed, Jackson said. Police said both victims were taken to a hospital...
CASTAIC (CNS) – A black bear was hit and killed on a freeway near Santa Clarita, the California Highway Patrol reported today. It was the second time this week a bear was hit and killed on a freeway near Santa Clarita. The bear was hit by several vehicles on the northbound lanes of the Golden State (5) Freeway at Templin Highway around 10:30 p.m. Thursday. Two lanes of the freeway were blocked by CHP until Caltrans crews arrived to remove the carcass of the bear from the freeway. One of the cars, a BMW SUV, needed to be towed from...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A California man convicted of using a stun gun on Metropolitan Police Officer Michael Fanone during the Jan. 6 Capitol riot in 2021 has been sentenced to 12.5 years in federal prison, federal prosecutors announced. Daniel Joseph “‘DJ” Rodriguez, who has listed Panorama City and Fontana as his hometowns in court papers, pled guilty to several charges in February. He was officially sentenced Wednesday to “conspiracy and obstruction of an official proceeding, obstruction of justice, and assaulting a law enforcement officer with a deadly or dangerous weapon,” the U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia said...
Laundry When doing laundry, always wash full loads ● Adjust the water level in the washer to the amount needed for the load. Some of the new efficient washers will do this automatically. When it’s time to replace the clothes washer, choose an energy- and water-efficient model ● ENERGY STAR labeled washers use 25 percent less energy and 33 percent less water than other washers. These models only use 14 gallons of water to thoroughly clean a load of laundry, while non-labeled washers use 20 gallons per load. Dishwashing If washing dishes by hand, fill the sink with water rather...
After more than a year under construction, the San Fernando Regional Park Infiltration Project is expected to be operational in August and the baseball field it’s placed under will be open to the public in September. Sod — or turf — will be placed over the field around late July or early August, which is predicted to mature in September. Once it does, the baseball field will be open to the public. The project, which began in April 2022 at San Fernando Recreation Park, is expected to be completed sometime in the middle of August. Nick Kimball, San Fernando city...
The San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol Editor Diana Martinez interviewed Adán Ortega, the chair of the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California. Ortega took office on Jan.1 2023, and is the first Latino chair to be elected to the post. He represents the City of San Fernando on the board and has dedicated his conference room as chair of the MWD as The San Fernando Room. He served as MWD’s vice president of external affairs from 1999 to 2005. Also, as principal of Ortega Strategies Group, he has worked in government relations for 30 years and has helped lead efforts...
GLENDALE (CNS) – The Glendale Unified School District Board of Education will have its final meeting of the 2022-23 school year today, two weeks after its discussion of a motion to recognize June as Pride Month sparked protests that turned violent and led to at least three arrests. Chatter making the rounds on social media suggested more protests could materialize at Tuesday’s meeting, although there were no specific items on the agenda relating to the LGBTQ+ community or relevant curriculum. A group of LGBTQ+ advocates called Queer Nation LA urged supporters to turn out in force at the GUSD board...
STUDIO CITY (CNS) – A man was taken into custody today after leading police on a brief car chase in Studio City and then barricading himself in the vehicle for several hours. The man was arrested shortly before 6 a.m. near Ventura Boulevard and Colfax Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. His name was not immediately released. According to police, officers went to the 3600 block of Sunswept Drive early Tuesday morning on a report of a “possible prowler,” and found the man in the vehicle. The suspect crashed the vehicle into a police car and sped off,...
NORTH HILLS (CNS) – A series of armed robberies were carried out in the North Hills area early today, and two suspects were in custody. It was unclear if the robberies were related, but they occurred in the same general area shortly before 6 a.m. A Los Angeles Police Department desk officer confirmed that two suspects had been taken into custody. KTLA5 reported that one of the robberies happened at 5:40 a.m. near Noble Avenue and Chase Street, where a wallet and cash were stolen by three male suspects who fled on motorized bikes. Three male suspects carried out additional...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A concert at the Greek Theatre, which will include an appearance by Vice President Kamala Harris, will be among the events today to mark Juneteenth, the federal holiday commemorating the emancipation of enslaved people in the United States. Artists set to perform in “Juneteenth: A Global Celebration for Freedom,” include Miguel, Charlie Wilson, Adam Blackstone, Kirk Franklin, Nelly, Jodeci, SWV, Davido, Chloe Bailey, Coi Leray, Muni Long and Mike Phillips. The 5 p.m. concert will be televised by CNN and OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. A Juneteenth festival will be in Leimert Park from noon to 9...
SANTA CLARITA (CNS) – A bear was killed today on the Antelope Valley (14) freeway after being struck by a car, according to reports by the California Highway Patrol. The crash was reported around 5:10 a.m. on Monday on the 14 freeway at Soledad Canyon Road in the Santa Clarita area. ABC7 reported two cars struck the animal, which appeared to be a cub, but the CHP was not able to confirm those details. According to the CHP, the person who reported the crash was the same person whose vehicle struck the animal. No additional information was immediately available. Copyright...
SYLMAR (CNS) – A man in his 30s was shot and killed in Sylmar today, and an investigation was underway. Los Angeles Police Department officers responded at 12:02 a.m. to the 15000 block of Foothill Boulevard south of the Foothill (210) Freeway regarding a shots fired call and upon their arrival found the victim on the sidewalk with multiple gunshot wounds, according to the LAPD. Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics pronounced the victim dead at the scene. Information on his identity was not immediately available. No arrests were reported, and no suspect information was released. Anyone with information on the...
Eighty years after US sailors viciously attacked the young people who donned a zoot suit and subsequent attacks on LA’s Mexican American community, the Los Angeles City Council established June 3-9 as “Zoot Suit Heritage Week.” “Today, we gather to honor the resilience of previous generations that endured violence and to formally apologize for the sanctioned brutality that targeted not just Mexican-Americans, but also African-Americans and Filipinos, and others,” said Councilman Kevin de León. The City Council had previously adopted a resolution that condemned the “1943 Zoot Suit Riots” and the role the city played in the poor treatment of...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles City Councilman Curren Price was charged today with embezzlement, perjury and conflict of interest, according to an online report, but details about what prompted the charges were not immediately released. Price, 72, has represented the Ninth District, which includes most of South Los Angeles and Exposition Park, since 2013. He previously served in the state Assembly and state Senate. The councilman was charged with five counts of grand theft by embezzlement, three counts of perjury and two counts of conflict of interest, the Los Angeles Times reported on its website, citing the District Attorney’s...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A judge has approved a .5 million settlement between the Los Angeles Unified School District and a former special needs student who alleged he was sexually abused and provided alcohol by a teacher’s aide whose job was to assist him getting to and from class during the 2018-19 school year. The plaintiff is identified only as John Doe in the Van Nuys Superior Court lawsuit filed in October 2020 against the district and teacher’s aide Alex Salas, alleging negligent supervision and retention of Salas and negligent supervision of a minor. The plaintiff dropped Salas as a...
RESEDA (CNS) – A 25-year-old man was wounded in a drive-by shooting in Reseda and police today are investigating his shooting. The shooting was reported at 11:27 p.m. Monday and upon their arrival at 7340 Reseda Blvd. and Valerio Street, Los Angeles Police Department officers learned the victim was walking on Reseda when a car drove up to him and a male suspect shot at him multiple times, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. The victim was taken to a hospital in stable condition. The suspect drove away from the scene in an unknown direction. Copyright 2023, City News...
Glendale, CA – This afternoon, a Glendale Police Officer was hailed down by the victim of an act of hateful vandalism. The victim told officers the incident occurred in the 600 block of East Lomita Avenue in Glendale. He stated he parked his car there last night at approximately 9:00 p.m. When he returned this morning, he found his car had been “keyed.” Scratches were on the passenger side, the rear panel, the roof, and the hood. “IT’S OK TO BE QUEER,” “PRIDE,” “STOP HATING,” and “LGBTQ” were among the phrases etched into the paint in various parts of the...
A report by the US Postal Service found that Los Angeles ranked No. 2 in dog attacks on employees in 2022, and California ranks the highest for dog bites on USPS workers per state. More than 5,300 Postal Service employees were attacked by dogs while delivering the mail last year. In LA, there were a reported 48 dog attacks on workers; it ranks only behind Houston, Texas, with a reported 57 attacks. The state has ranked first for dog attacks in 2021 and 2022 with 656 and 675 attacks, respectively. Aggressive dog behavior is a common safety concern USPS employees...
Starting June 1, the County of Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation (LA County Parks) will inaugurate its first Pride At The Park events to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ community and allies across Los Angeles County. Pride At The Park was created in partnership with LA County nonprofit organizations who are dedicated to advancing LGBTQIA+ equality through education and advocacy. Pride At The Park programming will span throughout the month of June across 57 LA County parks in celebration of Pride Month. The events will feature mini-pride festivals, performances, health and wellness activities and more. Two such events will take...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Days after a Pride Month assembly at Saticoy Elementary school in North Hollywood elementary school prompted a protest by dozens of upset parents, the Los Angeles Unified School District Board of Education unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday, June 6, encouraging all district schools to incorporate lessons on the LGBTQ+ community into their curriculum. The resolution introduced by board President Jackie Goldberg and member Nick Melvoin served as the board’s official recognition of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month — while also honoring October as LGBTQ+ History Month; Oct. 11 as National Coming Out Day; Nov. 20 as...
On what would have been Gloria Molina’s 75th birthday, Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez joined, by the late politician’s daughter, Valentina Martinez and other family members, unveiled the “Gloria Molina Legacy Pathway.” “I have to say this is probably by far the best present anyone could have given her; the fact that the crosswalk is going to be colored purple … I don’t think she would have ever imagined it in her wildest dreams, and I think that is such a beautiful gift for her and her legacy and something she would have just loved. She would have really, really loved it,”...
Since 1999, the United States has celebrated June as Pride Month, known back then as Gay and Lesbian Pride Month. Although it’s meant to be a time to celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community, hate incidents have increased over the years, especially towards the transgender community. Recently, a large protest of conservative parents joined by others who share their view erupted outside Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood sparked by a Pride Assembly on June 2, which included a reading of “The Great Big Book of Families” that contains content about diverse families — including a child with LGBTQ+ parents....
PACOIMA (CNS) – A worker was killed today when a wall collapsed at a construction site in Pacoima. Firefighters were sent to the 10500 block of Glenoaks Boulevard at about 8:50 a.m., the Los Angeles Fire Department reported. “Firefighters arrived to find a cinder block wall fell and trapped one patient, and injuring another,” an LAFD statement said. “One patient with back pain has been transported.” The second worker, whose name was not immediately available, was pronounced dead at the scene, the LAFD reported. The Los Angeles Police Department and Cal-OSHA were notified, and the circumstances of the death were...
SAN FERNANDO (CNS) – A prosecutor told jurors today that an ex-con fired five shots at a Los Angeles police officer after his crime partner fired the first shot during a traffic stop in Lake View Terrace just over 40 years ago, while a defense attorney countered that her client has been wrongfully accused of murder. The six-man, six-woman jury in San Fernando is the third to hear the case against Kenneth Earl Gay, now 65, who is charged with murder for the June 2, 1983, slaying of Officer Paul Verna, a married father of two sons. Gay’s conviction has...
PACOIMA (CNS) – A 36-year-old woman was wounded after a stray bullet hit her during an argument between two unidentified men at a Pacoima restaurant, authorities said today. Los Angeles Police officers were called at 11:40 p.m. Friday to Van Nuys Boulevard and San Fernando Road where they learned two men began arguing in the restaurant when one pulled out a gun and shot at the other man but missed, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. The bullet hit the ground and ricocheted, striking the innocent bystander, who as treated at the scene for minor injuries. The gunman ran...
By Gabriel Arizon and Sloane Jacobs San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol During a Pride Month assembly at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood this morning, conservative parents and members of the LGBTQ+ community squared off on opposite sides of Ethel Avenue right outside of the school. There was no meeting of the minds. A shoulder to shoulder line of LAPD and school police positioned themselves in between the two groups who engaged in loud shouting matches and held opposing protest signs. Many stood firmly, waving the Pride flag. Objections were first raised after the school announced their plans to hold...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A 33-year-old woman allegedly fatally struck a tow truck driver tending to a disabled vehicle on the Golden State (5) Freeway near Griffith Park, authorities said today. Paramedics sent to the southbound 5 Freeway near Zoo Drive about 11:15 p.m. Wednesday pronounced the man dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. His identification is being withheld pending notification of relatives. Altadena officers responded to the scene shortly after 11:30 p.m., according to the California Highway Patrol. Detectives conducted an investigation and discovered that the 41-year-old man from Sun Valley was fatally struck...
Schools, educators and students in the San Fernando Valley who have received national education recognition this year were awarded at the 22nd Annual Steve Allen “Excellence in Education” Awards. The award ceremony was held on May 25 at Pierce College at The Valley Economic Alliance Board of Directors meeting. The award is named after Steven Allen, a Valley resident and entertainer, and is given to students K-12, adult education centers, higher learning institutions and educators. Recipients of the 2023 Steve Allen “Excellence in Education” Awards are: — the El Camino Real Charter High School decathlon team for winning the 2023...
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Tensions continued to mount Wednesday at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood, where opposition by some parents to a planned Pride Month assembly on Friday has escalated, and the burning of a small Pride Flag that was displayed outside a classroom has led to security concerns. The flag was burned sometime over the weekend of May 20-21 and discovered that Monday at the campus in the 7800 block of Ethel Avenue. A planter in which the flag had been placed was also broken. Los Angeles police were investigating the vandalism as a potential hate crime. “We...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles Dodgers will host a “Christian Faith and Family Day” in July, amid backlash over the team’s Pride Night invite to a group of self-described “queer and trans nuns.” “Join us at Dodger Stadium on 7/30 for Christian Faith and Family Day. Stay after the game to celebrate and be part of a day of worship. Stay tuned for more details,” the team tweeted Friday. The event was first announced earlier that day by Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw. “Excited to announce the relaunch of Christian Faith and Family Day at Dodger Stadium on July...
Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and Congressman Tony Cárdenas gave a walkthrough of Cárdenas Elementary School to tout the impact of the Federal Communications Commission’s (FCC) Emergency Connectivity Fund (ECF) on schools by providing students with devices and services to connect them to the internet. “We, in this district, believe that access to high-speed internet connectivity is a civil right of our students,” Carvalho said. “Without that connectivity, their school day ends with the last bell, which means no other ability to continue their studies at home.” Through the fund, Andres and Maria Cárdenas Elementary School...
WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – A Woodland Hills pop-up that offers customers the chance to enjoy beverages in the company of domestic rabbits is drawing criticism from Los Angeles’ rabbit rescue community, which accuses the owner of disregarding the animals’ welfare. Located at 22030 Ventura Blvd., the Bunny Cafe is operated by Kevin Grushkovski, the 23-year-old founder and owner of JoyGrab, which develops unique and interactive customer experiences nationwide. According to its website, the cafe “offers a unique way to relax and de-stress. Petting and interacting with animals has been shown to have a calming effect on people and can lower...
19-Year-Old San Fernando Resident Is In Critical Condition Facing Possible Brain Damage and Paralysis A 19-year-old San Fernando man remains hospitalized in critical condition after crashing his car into a tree on Hubbard Street in Sylmar after reportedly being cut off by another driver who fled the scene of the accident on Wednesday afternoon, May 24. Matthew Meredith is currently hospitalized at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center in Mission Hills with head trauma, broken ribs, and pelvis, according to his older sister Valeria Enriquez. She says her family fears Meredith could suffer permanent brain damage and become paralyzed because his...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A man who fatally shot a research scientist as he slept inside a tent with his two young daughters in Malibu Creek State Park was convicted today of second-degree murder and other counts. Anthony Rauda, 46, who some dubbed the “Malibu Sniper” when authorities accused him of involvement in multiple shootings in or near the park, was also convicted of three counts of attempted murder and five counts of second-degree commercial burglary. The jury acquitted him of seven other attempted-murder charges. Prosecutors had been seeking a first-degree murder conviction for June 22, 2018, killing of Tristan...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Vote-by-mail ballots have begun to be sent out to all registered voters in the Sixth City Council District for the June 27 special election runoff to fill Nury Martinez’s vacant seat, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk announced today. Community relations manager Imelda Padilla and council aide Marisa Alcaraz took the two top spots in a seven-candidate field in the April 4 special election. With no candidate claiming a majority, next month’s runoff between the top two vote-getters became necessary. Padilla garnered 3,424 votes, or 25.65%, while Alcaraz took 2,821 votes or 21.13%. A total of...
BURBANK (CNS) – A spooked horse that went sprinting through Burbank streets gave spectators quite a sight, but the animal was safely recovered and reunited with its owner, police said today. According to Burbank police, officers responded around 12:30 a.m. Tuesday to Riverside Drive and Mariposa Street after receiving a report about a horse running loose. A woman told police the animal was frantically running down the street with a saddle attached, leading her to believe the owner had fallen from the horse and might be injured. Responding officers found the horse — named Oreo — grazing on the front...
WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – A Metro bus driver who was stabbed multiple times during an argument with a passenger in Woodland Hills was hospitalized in critical condition today, while a search continued for the assailant in the attack that has again raised questions about safety on the transit system. The driver and suspect got into an argument for unknown reasons and exited the bus around 5:15 p.m. Wednesday near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Erwin Street, police said. As they continued the argument, the suspect stabbed the driver multiple times with a knife or a sharp object. The driver was taken...
WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – A Metro bus driver who was stabbed multiple times during an argument with a passenger in Woodland Hills was hospitalized in critical condition today, while a search continued for the assailant in the attack that has again raised questions about safety on the transit system. The driver and suspect got into an argument for unknown reasons and exited the bus around 5:15 p.m. Wednesday near Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Erwin Street, police said. As they continued the argument, the suspect stabbed the driver multiple times with a knife or a sharp object. The driver was taken...
The American Red Cross is asking people to book a time to give blood or platelets now to address a recent drop in donation appointments that could lead to fewer transfusions for patients in the weeks ahead.Type O blood donors are especially needed to ensure a strong blood supply. The start of summer can shake up normal routines, but it’s important for donation appointments to stay on the calendar — especially as Memorial Day weekend approaches. More than 42 million Americans are expected to travel over the holiday, meaning fewer donors may be available to give. Appointments are critical this...
Due to the winter storms that severely impacted the state earlier this year, tax season for most Californians was extended to Oct. 16 from its usual April deadline. While millions of people will have another five months to file their taxes, many are still unaware of free, virtual tax services and tax credits that can save them a lot of money. United Ways of California, a nonpartisan organization that helps low-income families, is spreading the word about myfreetaxes.org — a website that connects people to free tax filing services. People who use the site can choose from three options to...
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Some parents at Saticoy Elementary School in North Hollywood are calling for a boycott of a Pride event scheduled at the school next month, encouraging other parents to “Keep your kids home and innocent.” That is part of the message being distributed on a flyer to protest the Pride assembly and some parents and educators say it is spreading intolerance. “We respect everyone, but some things are appropriate for children (of) that age, and some things are not,” George Dzhabroyan, who is among the Saticoy parents unhappy with the school’s planned Pride event, told KTLA. “Hopefully...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Archdiocese of Los Angeles today criticized the Dodgers for backtracking and renewing an invitation to a group of self-described “queer and trans nuns” to take part in the team’s Pride Night. The Dodgers came under fire from a host of LGBTQ advocacy groups and elected officials following its decision to rescind its original invitation. On Monday, the Dodgers reversed course and publicly apologized to the group, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. The Archdiocese of Los Angeles on Tuesday called on Catholics to stand together against the team’s reversal. “The decision to honor a group that...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A state regulatory board today declared Los Angeles County’s Barry J. Nidorf and Central juvenile halls unsuitable to house pre-disposition youth and ordered the county to relocate such detainees out of the facilities within 60 days. The Barry J. Nidorf Juvenile Hall in Sylmar, which has been called “unsuitable for confinement of youth” by state regulators. (Photo/SFVS Staff) Members of the Board of State and Community Corrections said they felt they had no alternative other than to make the declaration, citing a protracted history of shortcomings at the facilities, which were found in recent inspections to...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A state regulatory board today declared Los Angeles County’s Barry J. Nidorf and Central juvenile halls unsuitable to house pre-disposition youth and ordered the county to relocate such detainees out of the facilities within 60 days. Members of the Board of State and Community Corrections said they felt they had no alternative other than to make the declaration, citing a protracted history of shortcomings at the facilities, which were found in recent inspections to still be out of compliance with numerous state standards. Board members called the county’s recently approved “aggressive” plans for an overhaul of...
VALLEY GLEN (CNS) – A pedestrian was fatally struck by a Metrolink train today in the Valley Glen area. Paramedics were sent to the 12700 block of West Raymer Street at 1:19 p.m. and pronounced the person dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. Information was not immediately available on the identity of the fatally injured person. The fatally injured person, who was in a “non-pedestrian area,” was hit by train No. 109, which was westbound on the Ventura County Line, said Scott Johnson of Metrolink. No one was injured aboard the train. The tracks were...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A judge has ruled in favor of tenants regarding two new city renter protection laws against a challenge from a local landlords’ group. On Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Mitchell Beckloff denied a motion from the Apartment Association of Greater Los Angeles for a preliminary injunction to halt the enforcement of the pair of ordinances adopted by the City Council aimed at protecting Los Angeles residents from eviction and homelessness. Beckloff also permitted tenant rights groups InnerCity Struggle and Community Power Collective to join the City in the defense of the protections. The City Council...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles City Council unanimously voted Friday, May 19, to approve a report calling for a study regarding the possible relocation of the Sun Valley Metrolink station and the feasibility of adding a second platform. The request for the report was initiated by a motion brought forth by Council President Paul Krekorian. The Sun Valley Metrolink station, located in the Sixth District at 8360 San Fernando Rd., is part of the Antelope Valley line that connects Lancaster with Union Station in downtown Los Angeles. According to the motion, the Sun Valley station has a travel...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Funeral services were pending today for Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, the Cleveland Browns legend who went on to become a prolific actor and prominent civil-rights activist. Brown died Thursday night at his home in Los Angeles at age 87, according to a family representative. “Legend. Leader. Activist. Visionary,” the Cleveland Browns posted on the team’s Twitter page Friday. “It’s impossible to describe the profound love and gratitude we feel for having the opportunity to be a small piece of Jim’s incredible life and legacy. We mourn his passing, but celebrate the indelible light he brought to the world....
SAN FERNANDO (CNS) – Authorities in San Fernando recently issued citations to three retail clerks for allegedly selling alcohol to minors, it was announced Thursday, May 18. The citations were issued on May 9 during a “minor decoy” operation conducted by personnel from the San Fernando Police Department and the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control. The operation involved a “minor decoy” — a person under 21 — who, under the supervision of authorities, attempted to buy alcohol at 11 retail locations in the city, police said. The clerks who were cited could face a minimum fine of 0, and...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A San Fernando Valley man and woman who allegedly used darknet marketplaces to sell hundreds of thousands of dollars worth of fentanyl-laced pills and cocaine to buyers nationwide have been indicted by a federal grand jury, officials announced today. Brian McDonald, 22, of Van Nuys — whose aliases include “Malachai Johnson” and “SouthSideOxy” — and Ciara Clutario, 22, of Burbank, were charged in an eight-count indictment filed Wednesday in Los Angeles federal court, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Both defendants are charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute fentanyl and cocaine, five counts of...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Following criticism from various Catholic groups and even a U.S. senator, the Dodgers today withdrew an invitation the team had extended to The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence — described on its website as an “order of queer and trans nuns” — to participate in the team’s annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night. “This year, as part of a full night of programming, we invited a number of groups to join us,” according to a statement issued by the team Wednesday. “We are now aware that our inclusion of one group in particular — The Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence...
Of the approximately 3,700 invited to take part in California State University, Northridge’s Honors Convocation on Saturday, May 13, six individuals were singled out for special recognition as outstanding graduating students. Three stories will appear in this issue of the San Fernando Valley Sun/El Sol, and three more will appear in next week’s edition. Natalie Castillo, 2023 Wolfson Scholar Natalie Castillo, 2023 Wolfson Scholar Natalie Castillo came to California State University, Northridge in 2018 as a first-generation college student and has since become a role model for young underrepresented students in STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics). She will be...
ENCINO (CNS) – A volunteer Los Angeles police officer who was repeatedly stung when hundreds of bees swarmed an Encino neighborhood remained hospitalized today, and a GoFundMe account has been established on his behalf. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, which did not identify the man, the volunteer and his partner had stopped Monday afternoon to perform traffic-control duties near the 17100 block of West Adlon Road, where fire crews had responded to reports of a person being stung by bees. The swarm rapidly expanded, soon involving hundreds, if not thousands, of bees centered around a hive in the...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors today formally condemned one of the “most shameful moments” in history — the racial turmoil that erupted 80 years and became known as The Zoot Suit Riots. The board unanimously OK’d a motion by Supervisor Hilda Solis to denounce “the devastation of the Zoot Suit Riots, recognize this as a dark chapter in Los Angeles County’s history and recommit to fighting against racial discrimination.” Solis said the uprising began in the early 1940s, when “mobs of U.S. servicemen, law enforcement officers and civilians ambushed young Mexican Americans, African American...
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – A private security guard told police he was attacked in a robbery attempt in North Hollywood by suspects armed with paintball guns loaded with marbles. Officers went to Whitsett Avenue and Sherman Way at about 10:30 p.m. Monday on a report of an attempted robbery, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. According to police, four suspects fled in a gray four-door Toyota and were being sought. The security guard told reporters he was sitting in his personal vehicle while wearing body armor when a group of men pulled up alongside him and demanded money before opening...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A teenage detainee at a Los Angeles County juvenile hall died of an apparent overdose today, according to an online report. The death was reported by the Los Angeles Times, which cited unnamed sources with “direct knowledge of the situation.” Los Angeles County Probation Department officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the report. Sheriff’s officials had no information on the reported death, referring inquiries to the Probation Department. According to The Times, the teen was found unresponsive in his room Tuesday morning at Barry J. Nidorf Hall in Sylmar. An unnamed...
PORTER RANCH (CNS) – Police sought the public’s help today to find the hit-and-run motorist responsible for badly injuring a pedestrian who was sitting on a street in Porter Ranch over the weekend. The man was “gravely injured” at about 1 a.m. Sunday at Braemore Road and Bowmore Avenue, and he remained hospitalized Monday afternoon, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. According to police, the man, in his 20s, was hit by a dark-colored vehicle that kept going. No further description was available. A standing reward of up to ,000 has been offered by the city of Los Angeles for...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A former Los Angeles television news producer was indicted today on federal charges alleging he distributed more than 100 videos and images of child pornography in an online chat room. Phil Drechsler, 60, of Santa Clarita, who worked for KNBC-TV until he departed in February, allegedly shared more than 117 videos, nine images and other types of files depicting child pornography between August 2020 and June 2021, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said Drechsler was arrested last month in Cincinnati and ordered detained by a magistrate judge. He is currently being brought back to...
Gina Perez breathes a sigh of relief. The San Fernando resident just heard the news that a new law that could help her mentally ill homeless son survived a legal challenge. The California Supreme Court declined to block CARE Courts, allowing the new program to remain on track to be rolled out in six counties this fall and the County of Los Angeles later in December. CARE stands for Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment. Signed by Gov. Gavin Newsom last fall, the law will compel severely mentally ill people to get professional help for schizophrenia, psychotic disorders and substance abuse....
With efforts to start conversation on climate change, students at California State University, Northridge will showcase a new multimedia performance that explores the anxiety related to this environmental crisis. “Home” will be performed on Thursday, May 4, at 7:30 p.m. and Friday, May 5, at 2 p.m. in CSUN’s Nordhoff Hall’s Campus Theatre, located near the corner of Nordhoff Street and Etiwanda Avenue. The show will shed light on the complexities and concerns of climate change through various forms of artistic expression. The interdisciplinary project includes students and faculty from three different colleges — Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and...
VALLEY VILLAGE (CNS) – The death of a man whose burned body was found near a Tesla that had been on fire behind a vacant two-story commercial building in Valley Village has been listed as accidental, authorities said today. Los Angeles Fire Department firefighters arrived around 8:49 p.m. Monday at the 12000 block of Riverside Drive, between Coldwater Canyon and Whitsett Avenues, following reports of a vehicle fire, according to the department’s Brian Humphrey. As they quickly extinguished the vehicle fire without damage to the structure, they discovered the burned remains of a man adjacent to the car, Humphrey said....
PALMDALE (CNS) – A post-prom fight early Sunday morning in Palmdale between two young men from Pete Knight High School resulted in a shooting by one of their mothers. No one was hit in the gunfire outside the high school at 37423 70th St. East around 1 a.m. Sunday, according to a videographer at the scene. No one from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station was immediately available for comment. The parent who allegedly fired her gun tried to intervene but was punched several times for her efforts, the videographer said. There was no immediate word regarding whether the woman was arrested,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Manny Mota has been inducted into the Legends of Dodger Baseball, honored for his uninterrupted service to the team since 1969 as a player, coach, broadcaster, and ambassador. The 18-minute ceremony Saturday included remarks by Mota and retired Dodger broadcaster Jaime Jarrín and the presentation of a bicycle to Mota by retired Dodger third baseman Adrián Beltré in recognition of Mota frequently riding a bicycle around Dodgertown, the Dodgers’ former spring facility in Vero Beach, Florida. The ceremony at Dodger Stadium was hosted by Manny’s son Jose Mota, a Dodger broadcaster and was attended by former...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – Thirteen people were arrested at a Van Nuys-area motel for allegedly taking part in a fraud and identity theft ring that police said stole millions of dollars in state welfare funds, authorities said Thursday, April 27. According to the Los Angeles Police Department, the arrests were made Tuesday at a motel in the 4700 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, where officers went in response to a tip from the community. The suspects were living at the motel, police said. During a search at the motel, officers found skimming devices, card readers, ,062 in cash, and an array...
SYLMAR (CNS) – A 21-year-old woman was in custody today for allegedly driving a vehicle that struck and killed a pedestrian in Sylmar a week ago. Mary Inez Mercado of Granada Hills was arrested on Thursday and booked on suspicion of felony hit-and-run, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. She was being held on ,000 bail, police said. According to police, a man in his 40s was walking along the north side of Hubbard Street, pushing a shopping cart, when he was hit by a “dark-colored sedan” at about 12:50 a.m. April 21 near Adelphia Avenue. The man was...
PACOIMA (CNS) – Authorities today identified a man who was killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the northbound Golden State (5) Freeway in Pacoima. The crash was reported at about 12:10 a.m. Tuesday at the transition to the northbound Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol. Michael Servera Jr., 46, of San Fernando died at the scene, the Los Angeles County coroner’s office reported. The circumstances of the crash were under investigation.
By Darlene SupervilleAssociated Press WASHINGTON (AP) — When President Barack Obama flew to California to dedicate a national monument to Latino labor leader Cesar Chavez, a group of the activist’s relatives were invited to pose for photos with the president. Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Chavez’s granddaughter, hung back. As a member of Obama’s staff, she had traveled with the official party to the event, but she did not want to call attention to herself. Only when Obama’s senior adviser, Valerie Jarrett, insisted did Rodriguez reluctantly step forward, barely making it into the frame. “I said, ‘Julie, you have to be up...
Before they passed a committee vote on Wednesday, two pieces of legislation that would help end gerrymandering in California were introduced in a media briefing by a coalition of voting and civil rights groups. The briefing, hosted on April 20, was held to discuss Assembly Bills (AB) 1248 and 764, both with the goal of ending gerrymandering — the practice of drawing districts to favor one political party or racial group. AB 1248 would require large local jurisdictions — cities, counties and school districts with a population over 300,000 — to create independent redistricting commissions by 2030. If they do...
Los Angeles Department of Water and Power officials are reminding Angelenos to never touch downed or dangling power lines, or anything or anyone in contact with them, as the department settles a million lawsuit over the fatal 2021 electrocutions of a father and daughter who came into contact with a downed power line. The settlement comes more than two years after the Jan. 25, 2021, deaths of Ferdinand Tejada, 53, and his 20-year-old daughter, Janine Reyn Tejada, outside their Panorama City home. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family members of Ferdinand and Janina Tejada,” the LADWP said...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A Lancaster woman and her boyfriend who tortured and murdered the woman’s 10-year-old son were sentenced today to life in prison without the possibility of parole. Heather Maxine Barron, 33, and Kareem Ernesto Leiva, 37, were convicted in a non-jury trial on March 7 of first-degree murder and torture for the June 21, 2018, death of Anthony Avalos. Superior Court Judge Sam Ohta, who found the couple guilty, handed down the life-without-parole sentences for the pair Tuesday morning after hearing more than two hours of emotional statements from the boy’s relatives and friends, many of whom...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Acknowledging that “serious failures contributed to this tragedy,” the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power today announced the settlement of a lawsuit over the fatal 2021 electrocutions of a father and daughter who came into contact with a downed power line. The Los Angeles Times reported the LADWP has agreed to pay millionfollowing the January 25, 2021 deaths of Ferdinand Tejada, 53, and his 20-year-old daughter, Janine Reyn Tejada. The agency did not immediately reply to a request to confirm that figure. “We extend our deepest condolences to the family members of Ferdinand and Janina...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Police today were seeking potential additional victims of an ex-high school basketball coach in Granada Hills who they believe engaged in an inappropriate relationship with a minor. Chatsworth resident Gabriel Chavez, 36, was arrested Wednesday on suspicion of multiple counts of lewd acts with a minor, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. He was being held in lieu of 0,000 bail. Chavez coached high school basketball at Granada Hills Charter School when the alleged criminal acts occurred, police said. His employment at the school ended in January 2023, according to the LAPD, which added that...
PORTER RANCH (CNS) – Four-year-old twin boys were hospitalized today, one in grave condition and the other in critical condition, after being pulled unresponsive from a backyard swimming pool in Porter Ranch. Paramedics were sent to the 10000 block of Des Moines Avenue, just east of Tampa Avenue north of Devonshire Street, at about 10:35 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Fire Department and the Los Angeles Police Department. “As LAFD Firefighter/Dispatchers provided telephone CPR guidance, LAFD Firefighter/Paramedics quickly arrived to continue advanced life support, promptly transporting the pair — one in grave condition, the other in critical condition —...
NORTH HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – A person was fatally wounded and another person was expected to survive injuries suffered during a shooting in North Hollywood, authorities said today. Detectives responded to the 7000 block of Vineland Avenue, near Hollywood Burbank Airport, at around 8:40 p.m. Wednesday to reports of a shooting, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The victims were standing near the intersection of Vineland Avenue and Leadwell Street when they were approached by at least one suspect who fired shots striking both victims. Paramedics rushed the pair to a hospital, where one was pronounced dead. The second victim...
SAN FERNANDO (CNS) – Un hombre de Panorama City ha sido acusado de asesinato y otros cargos por presuntamente disparar fatalmente a un hombre que había sido contratado para pintar sobre graffiti de pandillas en la pared de un negocio de Northridge. Jamal Jackson, de 24 años, será procesado el 23 de mayo en un tribunal de San Fernando por un cargo de asesinato y posesión de un arma de fuego por un delincuente y cuatro cargos de intento de asesinato, según la Oficina del Fiscal de Distrito del Condado de Los Ángeles. Los cargos incluyen acusaciones de que Jackson...
By JOSE HERRERACity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Mayor Karen Bass delivered her first State of the City Address today, saying, “I am 127 days into my administration, and I cannot declare that the state of our city is where it needs to be.” But at the same time, Bass painted a picture of hope and “increased urgency” as the city grapples with major challenges such as homelessness and public safety and takes aim at what she repeatedly called her vision for a “new LA”. “I am proud to report that together, we have brought change to the city...
NORTHRIDGE (CNS) – A Panorama City man was in custody today for allegedly fatally shooting a man who had been hired to paint over gang graffiti on the wall of a Northridge business. Jamal Jackson, 24, was arrested Sunday in the San Bernardino County community of Ontario by personnel from the Operations-Valley Bureau Homicide Unit and the LAPD/FBI Fugitive and U.S. Marshals Task Force, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Jackson was booked on suspicion of murder, and he was being held without bail, the LAPD reported. “Jackson’s white Toyota Camry was also located and recovered as evidence,” police...
NORTHRIDGE (CNS) – An approximately 60-year-old man hired to paint over gang graffiti on the wall of a Northridge business was killed by a gunman armed with an “Uzi”-type semiautomatic handgun, who also wounded three other men in the vicinity, authorities said today. The victims were standing near Vanalden Avenue and Parthenia Street at about 12:30 p.m. Saturday when the shooter approached in a white sedan traveling northbound on Vanalden, exited the vehicle and opened fire, striking the man multiple times in the chest, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The man painting over the gang graffiti was pronounced...
Historically school systems around the country have taught numerous courses except the one that all students will need — personal finance and how to manage money. Because the topic of money isn’t considered academic and schools are slow to change, students graduate not knowing how to balance a checkbook. We’re all barraged every day with advertisements encouraging us to purchase but we’re not equally encouraged to take care when spending and can easily get into financial trouble. Magnolia Science Academy 7 (MSA-7), a public charter elementary school in Northridge, is taking a step to change this big void by...
More than 12 years ago, the 3 WINS Fitness program was an idea born in the classroom when California State University, Northridge kinesiology professor Steven Loy challenged his students to come up with ways to navigate America’s ongoing health crisis related to insufficient physical activity. “If my generation has failed, what can yours do about it?” asked Loy, who teaches in CSUN’s College of Health and Human Development. At that point, the problem and the solution had both been identified; but no one was taking the steps to creating an effective solution. The students’ answers led Loy to the conclusion...
Imelda Padilla Marisa Alcaraz By JOSE HERRERACity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Community relations manager Imelda Padilla and council aide Marisa Alcaraz are headed for a runoff to decide who will represent the Los Angeles City Council’s Sixth District, with Alcaraz solidifying her second-place showing in last week’s special election in the latest voting update released today. Padilla leads the seven-candidate field with 3,424 votes, or 25.66%, according to the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Alcaraz is second with 2,819 votes, 21.13%, 296 votes ahead of homeless services manager Marco Santana. Only 88 ballots are left to be counted,...
By JOSE HERRERACity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – In the special election to fill L.A. City Council seat vacated by Nury Martinez, community relations manager Imelda Padilla remained in the lead with Marisa Alcaraz pulling ahead in the close race for second as the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk today updated vote results. Padilla received 3,421 votes, 25.69%, of the ballots counted in the District 6 race, according to figures reported in Friday’s update voted count. Alcaraz was second with 2,812 votes, or 21.12%. Marco Santana was third with 2,515 votes or 18.89%. Rose Grigoryan was fourth, with 1,980...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass and Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez today outlined how the city is identifying and patching up more than 19,000 potholes after recent historic storms caused damage to streets. One of many potholes created in LA by rains “City staff is pulling out all the stops, but not just to prepare every pothole that’s reported, but also to be proactive. That means driving across the city throughout this district and all others to assess the conditions of our streets, identify and repair damage right way,” Bass said Thursday morning during a press conference in...
By Jose HerreraCity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Community relations manager Imelda Padilla is the leader as of Wednesday, April 5, in the special election to fill the Los Angeles City Council seat vacated by Nury Martinez, but the race for second place and a spot in a likely runoff is tight between Marisa Alcaraz, Rose Grigoryan and Marco Santana. By press time Wednesday, April 5, Padilla had 2,288 votes, or 25.55%, according to figures released at 10:30 p.m. Tuesday by the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk. Alcaraz was second with 1,723 votes, 19.24%, Grigoryan was third with 1,610...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Rabbit rescue groups across Southern California are again urging people not to purchase bunnies as Easter gifts for children, saying that what begins as a well-intentioned gesture often leads to abandoned animals when the novelty wears off and families realize they’re not equipped to properly care for the pets. Instead, rescue groups and animal control officials recommend buying a stuffed toy bunny or chocolate candy rabbit for kids’ Easter baskets. “Easter bunnies who magically appear and lay multi-colored eggs shown on greetings cards and cartoons are nothing but a fantasy,” said Lejla Hadzimuratovic, founder and president...
It was a day full of smiles with a lot of love given to four-legged family members. Proud owners with pet birds, cats, dogs, even goats and horses lined up at Orca Park in Sylmar to receive a blessing from Father Rolly Astudillo and Pastor Colleen Rau. This “Blessing of the Animals” was the first in the valley organized by the office of Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez. The councilwoman brought her dog too — a furry, small white Maltipoo humorously named “Hercules.” Photo Courtesy of the Office of Monica Rodriguez. Adding to the event, staff from LA Animal Services offered vaccinations,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Up to four people were shot, including one who died, today at a West Hills shopping center. The shooting was reported at 3:46 p.m. in the shopping center at Fallbrook Avenue and Vanowen Street, Los Angeles Police Department Officer J. Chaves told City News Service. One victim was reported not conscious and not breathing and two were awake and breathing, Chaves said. One victim was dead at the scene. The suspect “may be known to the victims,” Chaves said. It was unclear if the shooting was gang-related. A search was underway for the suspect. Copyright 2023,...
By FRED SHUSTER LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Suspended Los Angeles City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas was convicted today of federal bribery and conspiracy charges, along with mail and wire fraud, stemming from his time serving on the county Board of Supervisors. Ridley-Thomas showed no reaction as the verdict was read late Thursday morning in a packed downtown Los Angeles courtroom. He was convicted on single counts of bribery and conspiracy, along with one count of honest services mail fraud and four counts of honest services wire fraud. Jurors, who reached their verdict on their fifth day of deliberations, acquitted the Southland...
This Women’s History Month, LADWP is celebrating the contributions that women in the LADWP workforce make every day. From instrument mechanics and water treatment operators to electrical engineering associates, electrical craft helpers and beyond, each woman at LADWP utilizes her talents to serve our customers and bring affordable and reliable water and power to the City of Los Angeles. In October 2020, the Board made history as the first all-female board to lead the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP). In 2023, the Board continues to be composed of female members: President Cynthia McClain-Hill, Vice President Cynthia M....
On Monday, March 27, 2023, a fire broke out at an INM Mexican Migrant Detention in Ciudad Juarez near the Mexico/U.S border where approximately 40 migrants from Central & South America have lost their lives and many injured. Mexican officials including Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador claim that the fire was started by migrants themselves in protest to deportations. By Martha Arevalo The Central American Resource of LA – CARECEN mourns the lives that were lost last night at a migrant detention center located in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico. We send our deep condolences to all those who lost loved...
WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – A man whose body was found inside his burning van in Woodland Hills was identified today, and the investigation was continuing into his death, authorities said. Firefighters were sent to Mulholland Drive and Rosario Road at about 7:30 a.m. Tuesday on a report of a vehicle fire, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. “Firefighters discovered a Chevrolet work van engulfed in flames,” an LAPD statement said. “Firefighters extinguished the fire and discovered a deceased male inside the van. They notified the LAPD. The male was discovered between the front seats, badly burned.” On Wednesday, the...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A plumber entered a crawlspace of a Northridge home and fell asleep for about three hours yesterday, Saturday, Mar. 25, until firefighters cut holesin the floor and woke him up. The worried homeowner contacted the Los Angeles Fire Department after the 50-year-old man entered the crawl space under the 2,100-square-foot home and was not seen or heard from for up to three hours, said the LAFD’s Brian Humphrey. The home was built in 1958 and the crawl space in the raised foundation was a maximum of three feet in height, Humphrey said. The homeowner shouted for...
By JOSE HERRERACity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The union representing 30,000 Los Angeles Unified School District service workers who just concluded a three-day strike that shuttered the nation’s second-largest school system has reached a tentative labor contract with the district, officials announced today. The tentative pact still needs the approval of Service Employees International Union Local 99 members and the LAUSD board. The deal effectively meets the union’s demand for a 30% pay raise and also includes bonus payments, retroactive pay, and fully paid health benefits. In a statement, the district stated that the agreement “addresses historic pay...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti was sworn in as the next U.S. ambassador to India today by Vice President Kamala Harris. Members of Garcetti’s family were on hand to witness the brief ceremony in Washington, D.C. Garcetti was confirmed by the U.S. Senate last week after a nearly two-year process dogged by lingering allegations that he ignored accusations of assault and sexual harassment against a former top aide. Seven Republicans crossed the aisle to vote in favor of Garcetti in the 52-42 vote, but three fellow Democrats voted nay. In a statement following the vote,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Members of the Service Employees International Union Local 99 — who have been on a planned three-day strike since Tuesday against the Los Angeles Unified School District — will conclude their walkout today and return to work Friday, the union confirmed. No contract settlement was announced, though talks are again taking place between the district and union, facilitated by Mayor Karen Bass. According to a union statement Wednesday night, “The strike will conclude Thursday after a boisterous rally at Los Angeles State Historic Park where thousands of workers will issue their strong, unified call for LAUSD...
Jim Davis has added his 38th Los Angeles Marathon medal to his collection, but some health issues held him back from performing as well as he hoped. “I enjoyed finishing [the Marathon], but it seemed it was more of an effort this year than it has been [previously], but I was still strong,” Davis said. The 82-year-old Sylmar resident is an LA Marathon legacy runner — which means he has participated in every race since it began in 1986. He was joined by another 106 legacy runners this past Sunday. Although he’s had both knees replaced and is no longer...
Spring is here. As the seasons change, the American Red Cross is reminding the public that the need for blood doesn’t take a break. Blood and platelets remain at risk of running low this month. Donors are crucial to helping the Red Cross avoid a blood shortage in the weeks to come. Donors of all blood types, especially type O donors and platelet donors, are encouraged to make and keep appointments to donate. Book a time to give by visiting RedCrossBlood.org, downloading the Red Cross Blood Donor App, or calling 1-800-RED CROSS. When donors lend an arm this month, the...
After months of training and pushing through the pain, thousands of middle and high school students from schools across the greater Los Angeles area crossed the LA Marathon finish line. Among them were students from schools in the northeast San Fernando Valley. Students from Pacoima Middle School and San Fernando High School joined 2,500 other registered runners from Students Run LA (SRLA) to run in the 26.2 marathon. The 10 all-female students from Pacoima Middle School who were at the starting line were proud that they also crossed the finish line. Those students were Janelly, Karolina, Brihanna, Brissia, Bianca, Alison,...
Edgar Flores San Fernando Police have arrested Edgar Flores, 31, as the suspect who robbed and assaulted a 69-year- old senior at Ziggy’s Meat Market. That assault was caught on tape. Flores was apprehended at the Cork and Jug liquor store by SFPD but not before resisting arrest and being pepper sprayed. Flores who is said to be “well known” by local police also had an outstanding parole violation at the time of this arrest. “He has been booked and will appear at the San Fernando courthouse tomorrow,” said Lt. Irwin Rosenberg. “He has had several altercations and previous arrests...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The nation’s second-largest school district ground to a halt today as 30,000 service employees — joined in sympathy by about 30,000 teachers — walked off the job to begin an anticipated three-day strike in demand of higher wages. Despite persistent rain, picketing began in the pre-dawn hours at a Van Nuys bus yard, then spread to locations throughout the district, which closed all of its schools in response to the walkout, leaving more than 400,000 students without classes. The 30,000 workers represented by the Service Employees International Union Local 99 — including cafeteria workers, bus drivers,...
SYLMAR (CNS) – An approximately 75-year-old woman was found dead in a fire at a home in Sylmar, authorities said today. The fire was reported at 10:45 p.m. Monday and firefighters responded to the home at 14379 Tyler St., south of Foothill Boulevard, where 31 firefighters knocked down the fire in 21 minutes, said Los Angeles Fire Department spokesman Nicholas Prange. The woman was pronounced dead at the scene. In addition to the victim, approximately 12 cats were also found dead at the scene. It is unclear how many of the cats died as a result of the fire, Prange...
To find childcare resources click on the image LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Alberto Carvalho issued another plea today for the Service Employees International Union Local 99 to return to the bargaining table in hopes of averting a three-day strike set to begin tomorrow. “We should not be depriving our students of an opportunity to learn,” Carvalho said in a statement Monday morning. “With hours to go, I continue to appeal to union leadership to return to negotiations. We can find a solution that dignifies our workforce and avoids an unnecessary shutdown of schools while...
PANORAMA CITY (CNS) – Five people were hospitalized today with injuries ranging from serious to moderate suffered when flames ripped through a four-story apartment building in Panorama City. Firefighters responded at 7:25 a.m. to the building at 9010 N. Tobias Ave. and reported smoke showing out of the apartment building. By 8:15 a.m., firefighters had extinguished the fire, which damaged 10 of about 200 apartment units, making those units unlivable, according to LAFD. The American Red Cross assisted 16 displaced residents. A total of 11 people were evaluated and treated by paramedics. Five of them were taken to a hospital...
Interested in a time capsule? One you can drive right off the dealer’s lot? The 2023 GMC Savana van fits the bill. It hasn’t been changed much since 1996, making it the only almost-30-year-old brand-new vehicle on the market. But why would you want to buy it? Maybe because it is literally built like they used to make ’em. What It Is The Savana is a full-size van, not a minivan. It differs chiefly from the latter in that it’s built on a much heavier-duty (rear-wheel-drive) foundation and is available with a V8 engine, something no minivan has ever offered....
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Authorities today warned Southlanders celebrating St. Patrick’s Day that law enforcement officers will be out in force looking for people driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. “This St. Patrick’s Day, don’t push your luck,” Los Angeles Police Department Cmdr. Craig Valenzuela said. “Leave your keys at home and plan ahead before you celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. Designate a sober driver, schedule a ride-share or make other plans to get home safely if you plan to consume alcohol.” According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, St. Patrick’s Day is one of the deadliest times...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – With recent storms helping alleviate severe drought conditions that were plaguing the state, Southern California’s water wholesaler announced Wednesday, March 15, it is rescinding emergency outdoor watering restrictions it imposed last year. The Metropolitan Water District of Southern California’s Board of Directors voted Tuesday to rescind the restrictions, which impacted six local water agencies in Los Angeles, Ventura and San Bernardino counties that are heavily dependent on supplies from the State Water Project. The affected agencies, covering roughly 6 million people, were ordered to restrict outdoor watering to one day per week, beginning June 1, 2022....
Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez in collaboration with Tia Chucha’s Centro Cultural on Monday, March 13, unveiled the first installation of the “Moving Beauty Pathway,” with a culturally decorated crosswalk in Sylmar. “This morning, in collaboration with members from our Sylmar community, we unveiled Phase One of the improvements slated for San Fernando Road,” said Rodriguez. Dubbed the “Moving Beauty Pathway,” a series of pedestrian improvements aims to improve safety while enhancing the local culture of our communities. The intersection of Paddock Street, Oro Grande Street and Astoria Street along San Fernando Road now has the high visibility symbols “Xochitl,” meaning...
Tesla made the first modern electric cars, beginning about 15 years ago. It also made the first electric cars that weren’t focused on being economical or practical cars — as the first electric cars (like the Baker electrics) were designed to be, some 120 years ago. Tesla’s concept was to make electric performance cars — so as to make them exciting cars. But this also made them expensive cars. There’s a new electric performance car on the market — Ford’s Mustang Mach-E — that could steal away some Tesla buyers because it’s a less expensive electric performance car. It also...
LOS ANGELES (MARCH 14, 2023) – Los Angeles Department of Water and Power (LADWP) crews are prepared and ready to respond to potential power outages as another heavy rain storm is forecasted to hit the southland, including LADWP’s service area tonight, through Wednesday. As with the last heavy rain and wind storm that began February 24th, tree-related damage to power poles and power lines is likely to occur again. In fact, an estimated 85 percent of outages that occurred during the storm were caused by downed trees. When oversaturated by rain, soil can loosen and uproot trees that can fall...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Four Southland men are facing federal charges of child sexual exploitation alleging the victimization of minors, officials announced today. In cases filed in Los Angeles in recent weeks, the defendants were accused of exploiting children in person and on the Internet. “Protecting our children from sexual exploitation is some of the most important work my office does,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said in a statement. “For years, we have vigorously prosecuted child sexual predators, and we have only increased those efforts in recent times. To those who would seek to victimize our youth, let me be...
NORTHRIDGE (CNS) – A 33-year-old man is in police custody on suspicion of fatally stabbing his mother in Northridge, authorities said today. The suspect walked into the Devonshire Division of the Los Angeles Police Department at approximately 5:41 p.m. Friday and told officers he thought he had harmed his mother at their residence, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. Officers went to the residence on the 11000 block of Oakhurst Way and Mariposa Bay Lane where they found the suspect’s mother, who was in her 70s, had sustained multiple stab wounds, authorities said. The victim was pronounced dead at...
Sleep Expert Shares Practical Tips for Coping with Time Shift and Minimizing Negative Effects on Your Health.Whether we like it or not, daylight saving time will begin at 2 a.m., Sunday, March 12, when clocks are moved forward one hour. Light will last longer into the evening, but the sun will rise later in the morning than during standard time. Many welcome the opportunity to spend more time outdoors with an extra hour of daylight. But the start of the annual ritual of “springing forward” also means we’re losing an hour of sleep, leaving many of us feeling sluggish and tired. Dr. Kendra Becker,...
In a nationwide study to test for lead in drinking water in schools, more than 2,100 drinking fountains in California tested positive across 1,300 schools, including the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD). Hundreds of drinking fountains were tested across the district. But under current state law, the true extent of the problem in those fountains and others remains unknown. The Get the Lead Out study by the California Public Interest Research Group (CALPIRG) Education Fund, released Feb. 23, gave the state an overall “C” grade for the amount of lead found in its schools drinking fountains. It was a...
Influential Chicano playwright and filmmaker Luis Valdez will discuss his theater company, El Teatro Campesino and its influence on the evolution of Chicano theater, during a special presentation on Wednesday, March 15, at California State University, Northridge. His presentation, including a discussion of his book “Theatre of the Sphere: The Vibrant Being,” will take place at 7:30 p.m. in CSUN’s Campus Theatre, on the southwest corner of the campus located at 18111 Nordhoff St., Northridge. Joining Valdez will be Jorge Huerta, professor emeritus of theater at the University of California, San Diego. The pair will discuss insights Valdez’s work provides...
By the San Fernando Valley Sun Staff and City News Service When Emily Carranza learned that the defendants Heather Maxine Barron and Kareem Ernesto Leiva were found guilty of first-degree murder and torture for the death of 8-year-old Anthony Avalos this week, she allowed herself a moment of celebration. A small moment. There may have been justice at last for the Palmdale boy, she said, but the Avalos case was another agonizing example of a young life needlessly gone due to heinous circumstances. “The Avalos family can now have that closure, that justice has been served. Heather Barron and Leiva...
By FRED SHUSTER City News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Suspended Los Angeles City Councilmember Mark Ridley-Thomas steered county contracts to USC’s social work school while he was a member of the Board of Supervisors in exchange for benefits for his son, a federal prosecutor told a downtown Los Angeles jury today, but the defense countered that nothing the veteran politician did was illegal and there was no quid pro quo arrangement. Ridley-Thomas, 68, of South Los Angeles, faces 19 federal counts, including conspiracy, bribery, and honest services mail and wire fraud. He has vehemently denied any wrongdoing. “This is...
PACOIMA (CNS) — A man was facing a possible murder charge for allegedly hitting a pedestrian with his truck intentionally in Pacoima, killing the victim, police said. Officers were sent to Remick Avenue and Paxton Street — near Interstate 5 and the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway — at about 12:45 p.m. on Tuesday, March 7, on a call of an “assault with a deadly weapon — vehicle,” the Los Angeles Police Department reported. “Upon arrival, officers located a victim in the street suffering from blunt force trauma,” police said in a statement. “The investigation revealed the driver intentionally drove his vehicle,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A man accused of trying to open an emergency exit door on a flight from Los Angeles to Boston, then allegedly trying to stab a flight attendant with a broken spoon handle, remained behind bars today in Massachusetts. Francisco Severo Torres, 33, of Massachusetts, was arrested Sunday night when the United Airlines flight landed at Boston’s Logan International Airport, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Prosecutors said that about 45 minutes before the flight was scheduled to land, the flight crew received a cockpit alarm that a side door of the plane between the first class...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Dr. Bruce Hensel, an Emmy-winning former television medical correspondent in Los Angeles and New York City, pleaded no contest today to a felony charge that alleged he asked an acquaintance’s 9-year- old daughter to send him sexually suggestive photos. Hensel, 74, was immediately sentenced to two years probation and ordered to register as a sex offender following his plea to contact with a minor for a sexual purpose, according to Deputy District Attorney Angela Brunson. Hensel said during the hearing that he is “terribly sorry for what happened” and has “done everything I can to understand...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – More than two months after his death, the Southland’s most famous mountain lion, P-22, has been buried at an undisclosed location in the Santa Monica Mountains, a wildlife official said today. According to Beth Pratt, California regional executive director of the National Wildlife Federation, the lion was “laid to rest” in a private ceremony arranged in conjunction with local tribal leaders, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the National Park Service. “The burial location will not be revealed to protect and preserve the site,” Pratt said...
PORTER RANCH (CNS) – Two people were killed and two others were injured in a wrong-way crash on the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway in Porter Ranch today, authorities said. The crash on the westbound freeway, at the Tampa Avenue off-ramp, was reported at 4:25 a.m. Sunday, the California Highway Patrol reported. Authorities said a dark-colored sedan was driving eastbound in the westbound lanes and slammed into a semi-truck. The vehicle landed on the embankment of the off-ramp. Two people were pronounced dead at the scene. Paramedics dispatched to the location at 4:30 a.m. rushed two others to regional trauma centers,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A transgender woman has a lawsuit pending against a carpenter’s union in which she alleges she was subjected to disparate treatment and ultimately fired in February because of her transition in her sexual identity. The plaintiff is known both as Joshua Baum and Shoshana Baum in her Los Angeles Superior Court lawsuit against the Southwest Regional Council of Carpenters, which alleges wrongful termination, intentional infliction of emotional distress, gender discrimination and harassment, failure to take reasonable steps to prevent discrimination and harassment and negligent supervision, hiring and retention. Baum seeks unspecified compensatory and punitive damages. An...
On Wednesday, March 1, 2023, at approximately 3:25 a.m., the Glendale Police Department received a call about a catalytic converter theft in progress. The caller told Police Dispatchers that two males were seen under a black Honda in the 1400 block of Barrington Way. The caller could hear sawing noises coming from under the vehicle. Officers arrived on the scene quickly and blocked the suspect vehicle in. Four suspects were detained. Officers located burglary tools inside the car. The four males were arrested for Grand Theft and identified above from left to right as:18yo – Clinder Godinez Campos of Los...
PACOIMA (CNS) – Los Angeles City Fire Department crews rescued several people today from a wash under the Laurel Canyon Bridge in Pacoima. The individuals were on dry land near the rushing water, according to Nicholas Prange with the LAFD. Firefighters set up a rope system for safety during the operation. Crews helped those people move to a safer location on higher ground, said Prange. Laurel Canyon Boulevard was temporarily closed from Fox Street to Paxton Street. No injuries were reported. Copyright 2023, City News Service, Inc.
Caring for children is Norma Miranda’s passion. The 61-year-old Tarzana resident has been helping families for nearly one-third of her life since she arrived in Southern California two decades ago, occasionally combining it with cleaning homes to make ends meet. “I love to care for young kids,” she says, adding with a quip “I feel more like a mom than a cleaning lady.” But Miranda worries about getting sick or having an accident at work and being forced to take time off without pay, she wonders how she would cover expensive medical care out of her own pocket, and the...
On a chilly Sunday morning, during a much-needed break from the rain that swept through California this past week, more than 200 bicyclists gathered in the west side of the San Fernando Valley to cruise through the streets without worry over distracted drivers or speeding cars. Five miles of road along Sherman Way, from Canoga Park through Winnetka and Reseda, were closed on Feb. 26 to all cars for CicLAvia-The Valley, an event organized to allow Angelenos to freely ride on the street without concern of being hit by a vehicle. CicLAvia, a nonprofit, has organized this kind of event...
During a recent San Fernando City Council meeting, the mayor, vice mayor and council members honored one of the area’s oldest residents celebrating a rare milestone birthday this week. Amid applause and with a celebratory fist pump in the air, Erasmo Aguilar — who turns 100 years old on March 5 — happily accepted a certificate of recognition. When asked by council members if he had any words to share, without missing a beat Aguilar replied, “I have many words.” And indeed, he does — words brimming with vivid details recounting a long life filled with hard work, his devotion...
Angie Gomez Lippiatt Special to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol The melange of cinnamon, cloves and piloncillo, simmering in a saucepan, is the fragrance of Cuaresma/Lent, and it fills the house and fogs up the kitchen windows. It’s capirotada season! That delicious conglomeration of the most confusing of bread puddings. Toasted bread doused with the piloncillo syrup, nuts, raisins, bananas and jack cheese! That’s right, my family used jack cheese and topped the pudding with colorful dragees. It sounds like a mess, and looks like a mess, but it is amazing! When I was a kid, my mama would send...
GLENDALE (CNS) – A man was arrested for allegedly robbing a Glendale Home Depot store, police said today. Raymundo Bretado, 47, of Rancho Cucamonga, was booked on suspicion of armed robbery, Glendale Police Sgt. Victor Jackson said. He was being held without bail, pending arraignment. The crime occurred on Feb. 21 in the 5000 block of San Fernando Road, Jackson said. “Within the first hour of the store opening, a male entered the location and immediately went looking for the store manager,” Jackson said. “Once he found the manager, the suspect lifted his shirt, revealing a firearm and ordered him...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Several roads were flooded throughout the Southland and thousands of people were without power Saturday as a historic winter storm lashed the area with heavy rain, snow and high winds. Some relief was expected Saturday with gradually lighter rainfall as the day progresses, according to the National Weather Service, which called the storm one of the strongest ever to hit Southwest California. It poured all day and all night Friday and continued raining throughout the morning Saturday in most parts of the Southland, with 5-8 inches of rain across the valleys and almost 12 inches in...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A San Fernando Valley man faces sentencing today in two cases involving stalking, including one in which he admitted cyber stalking two sisters by sending them text messages that threatened them with rape and murder. Alex Roberts, 27, of Chatsworth, pleaded guilty to one count of cyberstalking, and — in a separate case brought by federal prosecutors in Macon, Georgia, but transferred to Los Angeles — also pleaded guilty to one count of stalking, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. According to his plea agreement in the Los Angeles case, in July and August 2020, Roberts...
MISSION HILLS (CNS) – Three boys suspected of robbing a convenience store in Mission Hills before sunrise were in custody at Sylmar Juvenile Hall today. The boys, including one armed with a hammer, entered the store in the 10600 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, near the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway, around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday, walked behind the front counter and ordered the clerk to open both cash registers, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. Simultaneously, Mission Area patrol officers pulled into the parking lot and observed the robbery in progress through the glass windows, police said. Officers immediately established a perimeter...
It’s said that one never dies as long as you speak their name, and hundreds of people from all walks of life gathered last weekend to remember Gabriel Fernandez. They wrote messages vowing to never forget him and added mementos to “Gabriel’s tree,” which grows in front of the Palmdale apartment — a house of horrors for the little boy who was tortured to death. He was taken by his mother from the comfort of his grandparent’s house where he lived in the Northeast Valley to Palmdale and refused to return him. On Saturday, a huge crowd made up...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A therapist who was sent to do an assessment at the Lancaster home of a boy less than four years before his death testified Tuesday, Feb. 14, that she had grave concerns about the way his mother behaved toward her children. Wendy Wright said she called a child abuse hotline in October 2014 to report her concerns about Heather Maxine Barron because she felt a social worker was not taking her seriously and was going to close the case against the woman, whom the prosecution witness described as “very detached” and “very cold.” Barron, 33, and...
STUDIO CITY (CNS) – A man has been exposing himself in the Fryman Canyon Park area near Studio City, and authorities today urged anyone knowing his identity to call the police. Images of the man have been posted on the FrymanCanyonOfficial Instagram page, and one person reported seeing the man “touching himself” near a hiking trail. The Los Angeles Police Department said it was increasing patrols in the area. “It was shocking, definitely, I don’t want to see that … when I’m hiking,” one hiker told Fox11. “I just looked at him, he looked down, he does not seem to...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Enjoy the sunny weather while you can, because forecasters said today a major change is coming, with windy and colder conditions moving in. While the Southland was enjoying temperatures in the 60s and 70s Monday, “it will turn windy and much cooler Tuesday and Wednesday with an increasing chance of rain and very low elevation snow through Saturday,” according to the National Weather Service. A winter storm watch will be in effect in the Los Angeles County mountains from Tuesday evening through Saturday afternoon, with forecasters anticipating heavy snow accumulations accompanied by winds gusting as high...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A 35-year-old homeless man was wounded today in what police say was a gang-related drive-by shooting near Van Nuys. Los Angeles Police officers were called at approximately 12:51 a.m. to 13136 Vanowen St. between Fulton and Coldwater Canyon avenues where they learned a dark sedan drove past the victim and shot at him multiple times, an LAPD spokeswoman told City News Service. The victim was taken to a hospital by Los Angeles Fire Department paramedics in stable condition. The suspects drove away west on Vanowen. There was no further information available.
SUN VALLEY (CNS) – Two people were killed today in a traffic crash on the Golden State (5) Freeway in the Sun Valley area. The crash was reported at about 5 a.m. on the southbound 5 Freeway north of the Hollywood (170) Freeway, according to the California Highway Patrol. Information was not immediately available on the identities of the two people, who died at the scene. According to KTLA5, a 28-year-old man from Sunland and an 80-year-old woman from Panorama City were in a minivan that had stalled on the freeway after being involved in a minor collision with another...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – City officials launched a public safety initiative Monday aiming to provide trauma training and services to community intervention workers who implement an unarmed response alternative to policing. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez, who chairs the City Council’s public safety committee, announced the Project TURN initiative — which stands for Therapeutic Unarmed Response for Neighborhoods — at a briefing Monday at the New Testament Church of Christ in South Los Angeles. The program, launched with .2 million in city funding, seeks to help the over 100 community intervention workers in the city with training provided by the Community Based...
The list is long when considering the issues in education today. While tremendous strides have been fought for and achieved, year after year, there are challenges and threats to dismantle affirmative action and other rights that serve to provide equality in education for all. Since its inception, there has been a lack of understanding and deeply held resentment for affirmative action, although it’s proven to be successful in leveling the playing field and has opened the door for people of color to attend and successfully compete in college. Scores of people now holding professional jobs who have healthy, productive lives...
PALMDALE (CNS) – A man suspected of attempting to steal a catalytic converter from an SUV in the parking lot of a Palmdale shopping center was killed when he was run over by the vehicle, authorities said today. Deputies from the Palmdale Sheriff’s Station responded at approximately 5:56 p.m. Tuesday to a parking lot in the 39400 block of 10th Street West regarding multiple calls about a grand theft of a car and upon their arrival found the suspect lying in a parking space suffering from blunt trauma wounds, said Lt. Hugo Reynaga. During their investigation, deputies learned the victim,...
M. Terry / SFVSYasiel Puig makes an autograph seeker happy during the groundbreaking ceremonies at Pioneer Park. LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Three months after ex-Dodger Yasiel Puig withdrew from a plea agreement in an illegal sports betting case, the former Major League Baseball outfielder pleaded not guilty today to new federal charges. Puig, 32, who now plays professional baseball in South Korea, entered his plea to two counts: making false statements and obstruction of justice, crimes that together carry a total sentence of up to 10 years behind bars, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Puig has a trial date...
Break up with in-person DMV visits and complete most of your DMV to-do list online instead. From renewing vehicle registration to changing your address on your driver’s license or ID card or driver’s license renewal, the DMV continues to expand its online services to help meet your needs. Q: I need to renew my vehicle registration; do I have to go into a DMV office? A: Most people can renew their registration without a trip to the DMV. Check your notice from the DMV to make sure you’re eligible. The DMV’s website has a “service advisor” that can tell you...
Jess and Greg Stone lead an unconventional life. They met when they were both international aid workers and found they shared a strong desire to explore, see the world and do some good along the way. With so much in common, they married and together, the couple have combined their many loves — traveling, their dog, helping others, the colors of Guatemala and have combined it all into a transcontinental journey on their motorcycles that is spanning the Americas, Africa, Europe and Asia. Last year – on March 5, 2022 — the married couple started their adventurous ride in...
The Los Angeles Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department (LA Civil Rights) announced a program to establish Peace and Healing Centers in nine communities. The centers are charged with providing social service programs that center on environmental, social, and economic healing. Two of the centers will be run by El Nido Family Center – one is located in Pacoima and the other in Panorama City. At the Panorama City location, the center will focus on “social healing,” with a community healing fair, storytelling workshops, healing circles and food distribution events. The center in Pacoima will offer services to provide...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A man was arrested today for allegedly carjacking a vehicle in Van Nuys with a year-old child still inside, but the vehicle and the boy were recovered a short distance away. The carjacking was reported at about 2 p.m. near Woodman Avenue and Sherman Way, police said. The pilfered vehicle and the boy — who was unharmed — were found a short time later near Woodman and Saticoy Street in Panorama City, according to reports from the scene. The suspect was taken into custody, but his name was not immediately available. The father of the briefly...
MISSION HILLS (Feb. 1, 2023) – Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is seeking the public’s help in identifying a young woman who was critically injured on Jan. 23 in a vehicle versus pedestrian incident in San Fernando. She is unable to speak for herself. The woman appears to be in her late 20s to early 30s; is 5 feet, 6 inches tall; 153 pounds; and has brown eyes, medium-length brown hair, medium skin tone and has a tattoo on her right forearm of a red and green heart outlined in black and with the words “One love.” It is believed...
A man was found dead Monday, Jan. 30, inside a recreational vehicle destroyed by an early morning fire in the City of San Fernando. Firefighters sent to the 600 block of North Hagar Street at 4:58 a.m. extinguished the flames in 25 minutes, according to the Los Angeles Fire Department. “LAFD Firefighters arrived quickly to find a recreational vehicle parked in the rear yard of a single-family home well involved with fire, the intense flames threatening an adjacent garage converted to living quarters, and a [14-foot by 15-foot] tool shed,” an LAFD statement said. “Three persons in the converted garage...
In downtown Los Angeles, Hollywood and in areas of the Westside, several demonstrations have been held since video surfaced of the fatal police beating of 29-year-old Tyre Nichols in Memphis. With LAPD helicopters flying loudly overhead, on Sunday, Jan. 30, the streets in Venice were filled with over 200 demonstrations who protested the death of Nichols and called for justice closer to home — for 31-year-old Keenan Anderson. “We should demand justice not just for what’s happening in Memphis but for what’s happening right here in LA,” said Dr. Melina Abdullah, professor of Pan African Studies at Cal State LA...
California State University, Northridge’s student-based brand management and creative services agency: IntersectLA (IXLA) has partnered with the nonprofit Los Angeles Room & Board to help unhoused community college students in the Los Angeles area. The students, mostly from CSUN’s Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, are working with Northridge alumnus Sam Prater, who graduated from the university in 2018 with a doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy. The team is working with Prater to bring the Los Angeles Room & Board’s website to life, additionally creating video walkthroughs of the nonprofit’s housing facilities and resources. The goal is...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Seeking to address a shortage of winter shelters for the unhoused, the City Council voted to support increasing funding for the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority’s (LAHSA) Winter Shelter Program and Augmented Shelter Program. The city currently has fewer than half the number of shelter sites compared to last winter, and nearly two-thirds fewer shelter beds, according to a motion by Councilman Bob Blumenfield. The council voted to instruct the City Administrative Office to identify funding to support LAHSA’s programs. It also asked the emergency management department to review the Adverse Weather Annex and requested a...
STUDIO CITY (CNS) – A man who allegedly stole two French bulldogs from their pregnant owner at gunpoint in Studio City in December has been arrested, authorities said today. Sammeiso Lewis, 27, of Las Vegas was taken into custody in Glendale on Thursday, and he was booked on suspicion of robbery, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Lewis has been charged by the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s office with one count of robbery, the LAPD reported. The crime occurred about 10 a.m. on Dec. 9, 2022, in the 4100 block of Kraft Avenue, police said. “A nine-month pregnant...
Mary Brisbin is a longtime San Fernando resident who traded in her car for a motorized scooter a couple of years ago and can be seen many days riding it around the community. Last week her scooter’s right front tire lost a bolt leaving her stranded. And so, she called AAA for a tow. Brisbin said that when the AAA driver saw the scooter, he burst out in laughter saying that it was the first time he towed a scooter. As she jokingly said it was “one big job, one big tow.”
SANTA CLARITA (CNS) – Los Angeles County sheriff’s officials sought the public’s help today finding a 27-year-old man suffering from depression who went missing in Santa Clarita. Lance Theodore Stone, a resident of Kern County, was last seen around 7 p.m. on Jan. 16 in the 22700 block of Soledad Canyon Road, according to the sheriff’s department. Stone was described as a 5-foot, 10-inch tall white man, weighing 150 pounds with brown hair and green eyes. He was last seen wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and gray cargo-style pants. The sheriff’s Missing Persons Unit urged with any information regarding Stone’s...
MONTEREY PARK (CNS) – A possible suspect in a mass shooting in which 10 people were killed and another 10 wounded at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park was found dead inside a white van at a strip mall in Torrance today after a standoff with law enforcement. The mass shooting attack occurred at 10:22 p.m. Saturday at the Star Dance Studio in the 100 block of West Garvey Avenue, Homicide Bureau Capt. Andrew Meyer of the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department told reporters at the scene during an early morning news conference. Ten people were pronounced dead at...
MONTEREY PARK (CNS) – Ten people have been killed and at least 10 others were wounded in a mass shooting at a ballroom dance studio in Monterey Park and the shooter was at large, authorities said today. It occurred at 10:22 p.m. Saturday at the Star Dance Studio on the 100 block of West Garvey Avenue, sheriff’s Homicide Bureau Capt. Andrew Meyer told reporters at the scene during an early morning news conference. Ten people were pronounced dead at the scene and the 10 injured were listed in stable to critical condition at area hospitals including Los Angeles County/USC Medical...
U.S. Attorney’s Office, Central District of California LOS ANGELES – The former president and CEO, Howard Dixon Slingerland, of Youth Policy Institute Inc. (YPI) a Hollywood-based anti-poverty nonprofit agency has agreed to plead guilty to federal criminal charges for embezzling money from the nonprofit for his personal benefit and intentionally misapplying more than 0,000 in grant money to pay for unauthorized expenses and lying on his tax returns, the Justice Department announced today. Slingerland, 53, of Studio City, has agreed to plead guilty to a two-count information charging him with conversion and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal...
The 61-Year-Old Female Geriatric Asian Elephant Was Compassionately Euthanized Due to Declining Health The Los Angeles Zoo announced the death of 61-year-old Jewel, the oldest Asian elephant in the Zoo’s care. Jewel was monitored around the clock since Sunday by the zoo’s animal care and veterinarian staff who provided her with intensive supportive care. After several days of giving Jewel the best treatments available, a difficult decision was made to compassionately euthanize her when it was clear her quality of life was not going to improve.“The entire Los Angeles Zoo family is grieving this loss,” said Denise M. Verret, CEO...
By FRED SHUSTERCity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Former Los Angeles City Councilman José Huizar will plead guilty to federal charges that outline a City Hall-based bribery and money laundering scheme in which he took more than [post_excerpt].5 million in cash, gambling trips and escorts in exchange for his support of a planned downtown hotel project, according to court papers obtained today by City News Service. Huizar’s plea agreement to racketeering conspiracy and tax evasion was signed Wednesday and filed in Los Angeles federal court Thursday afternoon. The document states that Huizar faces a sentence of up to 26...
In the City Council’s second meeting of the year, they approved the permanent regulations concerning the issue of accessory dwelling units (ADUs) and recognized O’Melveny Elementary School’s 100th anniversary. However, the cracks in the dais are already beginning to show as Councilmember Joel Fajardo claimed that Mayor Celeste Rodriguez’s seat was “bought” for her. Starting off the meeting after a 10-minute late start, the City Council gave a certificate of recognition in honor of O’Melveny Elementary’s 100-year anniversary, first opening its doors on July 1, 1922. “I just want to thank you for this recognition. This has meant a lot...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A car crashed into a parked vehicle in Mission Hills, resulting in the deaths of two passengers and the arrest of the motorist on suspicion of DUI, police said Monday. The crash was reported about 11:40 p.m. Sunday in the 10100 block of Woodman Avenue, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Lizeth Lomeli told City News Service. According to the preliminary investigation, the car was northbound on Woodman Avenue when it crossed over to the southbound side and crashed into a parked vehicle, Lomeli said. A man in his 20s who was riding in the rear seat...
Los Anarchists Junior Derby and Cedars Sinai are teaming up for their fourth junior roller derby tournament and blood drive collaboration. The tournament will take place at the LA Kings Burbank Sports Center. The roller derby bouts will be sanctioned by the Junior Roller Derby Association and will feature some of the top teams in junior derby. Los Anarchists skater Marisa Liuzzo (Hugs ‘n Stitches) jamming against West Coast Jr Knockouts. Photo Credit: Ruben Acosta Cedars Sinai will bring its Blood Bus on site Saturday, Jan. 21, from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to collect blood by reservation and through...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – LA Sanitation’s citywide organics program began today, with officials encouraging residents to begin disposing of food scraps and food-soiled paper in their green bins along with existing yard waste. The program is part of an effort to abide by Senate Bill 1383, which requires jurisdictions to reduce organic waste disposal from landfills by 75% by 2075. LA Sanitation has conducted a pilot program collecting compostable material curbside since 2019, expanding it from 18,000 households to 40,000 last summer. Now, the program is expanding citywide. The expansion comes after the City Council and Board of Public Works...
By STEVEN HERBERTCity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Martin Luther King Jr. Day will be marked today by the 38th Kingdom Day Parade, service projects, a Unity Walk in Santa Clarita, a program at the California African American Museum and a Mass at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels. The 3-mile parade will begin at 10 a.m. on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, just west of Western Avenue, proceed west to Crenshaw Boulevard and then south to Vernon Avenue, concluding near the K Line’s Leimert Park Station. The theme is “America, the Best Hope of the World.”...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Several members of the Los Angeles City Council are seeking to remove all references to gender from the city’s municipal code, according to a motion filed today. Council President Paul Krekorian’s motion, signed on to by five other council members, cites at least 200 instances in the city code that presumes the gender of city officials and members of the public to be male. The motion calls for the city attorney to prepare an ordinance removing gender references from the city code and replacing them with the name of the office or title of the position....
NEWPORT BEACH (CNS) – Charles White, USC’s 1979 Heisman Trophy-winningtailback who helped lead the Trojans to a share of the 1978 national championship, died today in Newport Beach of cancer at age 64, the university announced. White holds USC’s career rushing record with 6,245 yards, including 2,050 in 1979. White set 22 NCAA, Pac-10, USC and Rose Bowl records. White rushed for 1,859 yards as a junior in 1978, helping USC to a 12-1 record and the coaches’ poll version of the national championship. Photo Credit: USC Athletics The Trojans concluded the season with a 17-10 victory over Michigan in...
CHATSWORTH (CNS) – The widow and children of a Los Angeles County Fire Department engineer shot to death by a colleague at the Agua Dulce station in 2021 can move forward with most of their lawsuit against the county, needing only to shore up their civil rights claim, a judge has ruled. The Chatsworth Superior Court lawsuit was brought in January 2022 by Heidi Carlon, who was married to the late 44-year-old Tory Carlon; her adult daughter, Joslyn Carlon; and Heidi’s two other daughters, who are both minors. Carlon was working at Station No. 81 on Sierra Highway on June...
Political pundits are pointing to the defeat of several candidates backed by Donald Trump in the midterm elections as a sign that the former president’s grip on the Republican Party is waning. However, California State University, Northridge political science professor Lawrence Becker noted that the coalitional politics that have marked Trump’s tenure as a leader of the party emerged long before he became the Republicans’ presidential nominee in 2016. Republican leaders have not expanded their coalition in recent decades, Becker said, and instead have focused their efforts on activating and energizing their existing base of voters — a coalition that...
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a motion Tuesday introduced by Supervisor Kathryn Barger and co-authored by Supervisor Janice Hahn dedicating January as Firefighter Cancer Awareness Month in LA County. The motion was catalyzed by research that shows firefighters are more likely to be diagnosed with certain types of cancer than the general public. “Ensuring the health and well-being of our County’s firefighters is one of my top priorities so we can keep our communities safe,” said Barger. “The heart of this motion is about reducing cancer among firefighters by delivering targeted education and extending support to...
Each year, more than 12,000 women in the United States are diagnosed with cervical cancer. However, cervical cancer can be largely prevented and cured if diagnosed early. Cervical cancer was once a leading cause of cancer death for women in the United States. Fortunately, these rates have dropped dramatically over the past 20 years due to improved screening and prevention. However, throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, cervical cancer screening rates dropped as many women missed lifesaving tests. Therefore, it’s essential for women who may be overdue for a cervical cancer screening to schedule an appointment with their doctor. Prevention of this...
Start your New Year off by adding obtaining your REAL ID to your resolutions list. Q: When is the new REAL ID enforcement date? A:The REAL ID enforcement date has been extended until May 7, 2025. However, there is no reason to delay getting your REAL ID. Why wait when you can check it off your to-do list for this year? Q: What type of documents are required to apply for my REAL ID? A: One original or certified proof of identity, and two different printed proofs of California residency are required. One original or certified document* — Examples: valid...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Free tickets for a “celebration of life” in honor of famed Southland mountain lion P-22 were quickly distributed Monday, but organizers said the Feb. 4 event at the Greek Theatre will be live-streamed for those who were unable to snag a seat. The event is free, but tickets are required. The tickets became available at 9 a.m. Monday through Ticketmaster, but by midday they were all claimed. Officials with the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area assured residents via Twitter that “there will be a live stream of the celebration,” although exact details were still being...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A strong Pacific storm that doused Southern California with rain, damaging winds and flooding was largely out of the area today, but it left behind some remnant damage and continuing high surf that has led to some instances of coastal flooding. Some roadways across the Southland became overrun Thursday with water and debris, forcing some street and freeway lane closures. But the system dropped far less rain than originally expected as it quickly moved through the area. The main front of the “bomb cyclone” moved into the area overnight Wednesday, but forecasters said the storm traveled...
By ERIC HECity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Dionicia Cipres owes nearly ,000 in rent on her one-bedroom Koreatown apartment, where she lives with her husband. Come Feb. 1, when Los Angeles’ rent protections due to the COVID-19 pandemic are set to expire, the clock will begin ticking for Cipres to pay back all of it. Cipres, who is 53 and works part-time at supermarkets, is worried that without job stability, she won’t be able to pay her rent of 3 per month. Her husband, who has lingering health impacts from COVID-19, works in construction — but it is...
(CNS) -Dharmesh A. Patel, a radiologist at Providence Holy Cross Medical Center, has been arrested for allegedly intentionally driving a Tesla approximately 250-300 feet down a cliff off Highway 1 in Northern California on Monday with three other people inside the vehicle, including two children, authorities said. Patel has been placed under arrest for attempted murder and child abuse, according to the California Highway Patrol. The three victims all survived the crash in what a local fire chief called “an absolute miracle.” The Mission Hills hospital released the following statement Tuesday: “Providence Holy Cross Medical Center is deeply saddened to...
The Los Angeles City Clerk notified LA Family Housing Director of Engagement Marco Santana on Thursday, Dec. 29, that he has officially qualified to be placed on the April 4 special election ballot to fill the Los Angeles City Council seat left vacant with the resignation of Council President Nury Martinez. In order to qualify to be placed on the ballot, a candidate must collect and submit at least 500 signatures from registered voters in the District, which must then be verified by the Los Angeles City Clerk’s Office. Santana was the first to announce his run to represent Council...
Not only do we love our cars in the San Fernando Valley, but they are absolutely necessary to make it through daily life. The Valley is huge, and a reliable vehicle is necessary for everything from commuting to Los Angeles to meeting up with friends in Malibu. In just ten years, the average age of vehicles on the road in the United States has grown by 17%. It’s no wonder people are keeping their cars longer, considering that in 2022 alone, dealerships charged, 10-15% over MSRP for new cars sold. For most families, the most economical option is to keep...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A powerful storm slowly made its way into the Southland today, with potentially heavy downpours again raising fears of flooding and debris flows in recent burn areas. Light rain fell across most of the area Wednesday morning, making for a wet but tolerable commute. But as the storm moves closer, the rain will slowly begin to intensify, beginning with rates of one-tenth to a quarter inch per hour in some areas, according to the National Weather Service. By Wednesday afternoon and night, however, the rain will keep getting heavier, with downpours continuing into Thursday and reaching...
GLENDALE (CNS) – The Coroner’s Office today ruled that teen actor Tyler Sanders, star of Amazon’s “Just Add Magic: Mystery City,” died from an accidental fentanyl overdose. A friend found Sanders, 18, unresponsive inside his locked apartment in Glendale on June 16 and called 911, according to the coroner’s report, adding the teen had a history of drug use and drug paraphernalia was found at the apartment. Sanders had been texting the friend the night before, saying that he had been using fentanyl, the Los Angeles Times reported. Sanders started acting at age 10 and first starred in “JLW Academy,”...
The California Legislature passed and Gov. Gavin Newsom signed several measures this year to fight climate change, protect women’s right to choose, support small businesses, pay equity and more that will go into effect starting in 2023. “California leads, and we do so by following our moral compass and staying true to our values,” said Newsom. “The Legislature is an invaluable partner, and I thank them for their leadership and courage, and look forward to continuing our work to improve the lives of Californians across the state.” Here are some of the bills that will take effect in the New...
As the city and county of Los Angeles struggles with tens of thousands of people living on the street – the rise of homelessness and tragic youth fatalities across the country are linked to the rise in use of the synthetic drugs fentanyl, along with methamphetamine and the more potent version of meth known as P2P (phenyl-2-propanone) meth. “Fentanyl is a class of drugs, the deadliest we’ve ever seen on the street,” said Sam Quinones, veteran journalist and author of the book, “The Least of Us” which chronicles the opioid crisis in America. Quinones has covered drug trafficking and the...
The new year is fast approaching. As you prepare to celebrate with friends and family, the Office of Traffic Safety and Caltrans want everyone to stay safe on the road and enjoy the new year. Here are some ways to know your limit and “Go Safely” into 2023. It is important to know how alcohol affects you. In California, it is illegal to get behind the wheel with a Blood Alcohol Content (BAC) of .08% or higher. BAC is a measure of your impairment and depends on a variety of factors including height, weight, food intake, drug and/or medication use,...
While tobacco use has been declining for decades, 8.9% of California residents still smoke, and tobacco is the leading cause of death and disease in the state. Through the new “Tobacco-Free ‘23” campaign, the American Lung Association is sharing key reasons why 2023 is the year to quit tobacco, as well as sharing tips and resources. “Each year, quitting smoking is listed as one of the top New Year’s resolutions. While quitting smoking is extremely difficult, it is possible. In fact, it typically takes a person 8-10 attempts to quit smoking for good, which is why we call it a...
SYLMAR (CNS) – More than three years after the facility closed, state officials, announced today they have completed the relocation of all animals that were housed at the 160-acre Wildlife Waystation sanctuary in the Angeles National Forest near Sylmar. According to the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, the final two animals from the sanctuary were a pair of chimpanzees who were moved earlier this month to Chimp Haven near Shreveport, Louisiana. Eight other chimps from the sanctuary were previously moved to the same facility. Nearly 500 animals were housed at the Wildlife Waystation when the facility suddenly closed...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Some Holiday travelers can expect some unwanted gifts as flight cancellations and delays greet them at Los Angeles International Airport today. A freezing winter storm moving across the country is creating a travel nightmare before Christmas on one of the busiest travel days of the holiday season. There were 85 flight cancellations and 149 flight delays at LAX as of 8:45 a.m. today. More than 3,200 flights have been canceled nationwide, and the most affected cities are New York, Chicago and Denver. A winter storm is moving through the central United States toward the East...
LANCASTER (CNS) – An armed man who barricaded himself in his Lancaster mobile home with a year-old infant following a high-speed pursuit was fatally shot by sheriff’s deputies when he allegedly pointed a gun at the child’s head, authorities said today. The fatal shooting occurred at about 9 p.m. Wednesday and the man was pronounced dead at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. The man’s name was withheld, pending notification of his relatives. No deputies were injured “and the infant was recovered fine and uninjured,” sheriff’s public information officer M. McClendon told City News Service. ...
OPERA America named California State University, Northridge a 2022 finalist for Digital Excellence in Opera. CSUN’s production of Giacomo Puccini’s “Gianni Schicchi,” an animated opera that was performed remotely. Opera America is a New York-based service organization that promotes the creation, presentation and enjoyment of opera in the United States. Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic, CSUN’s Department of Music collaborated with the animation program in the university’s Department of Art, both housed in the Mike Curb College of Arts, Media, and Communication, to remotely create an entire digital operatic production. CSUN animation students worked alongside animation professor Mark Farquhar to...
Recognize Your Depression Won’t Disappear Just Because It’s the Holidays During the holidays, we often feel that we should be happy. When we don’t feel happy during this festive season, when everyone else seems to be having a blast, we can get frustrated with ourselves and feel more depressed than before. Facing depression during the holidays means that you must accept that you have depression and that you’re fighting a tough battle. Set Realistic Expectations When our expectations are too high and reality falls short, we end up feeling disappointed. Be realistic about what you can accomplish and be willing...
By Eric HeCity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – When the new Los Angeles City Council met for its first session this week, six women had seats around the horseshoe in the chamber, the most in city history. This year’s council elections welcomed in three new women in Katy Young Yaroslavsky, Traci Park and Eunisses Hernandez. They will join Monica Rodriguez, Nithya Raman and Heather Hutt. Rodriguez, elected in 2017, is the most senior woman on the council followed by Raman, who was elected in 2020. Hutt was appointed as an interim councilmember for the 10th District a few months...
Thanksgiving is here, a time for families to come together and appreciate the good things in life. Although the past couple of years have been difficult for many families, some from around the City of San Fernando community still feel grateful. For most families, what they’re most thankful for is being able to spend time with friends and their loved ones. Those who were in attendance at Pioneer Park this Sunday to watch kids from the San Fernando National Little League play out their last games of the year were no different. Uriel Rodriguez is one of the coaches for...
Thanksgiving is one of the country’s top days for cooking fires, and the American Red Cross Los Angeles Region encourages family chefs to follow simple steps to prepare the holiday feast safely. “Home fires are a real threat over the holidays and represent most of our disaster responses in Los Angeles,” said Guillermo Sanchez, Red Cross LA regional preparedness manager. “Help keep your family safe by always keeping an eye on what you fry, testing your smoke alarms monthly and practicing your two-minute escape plan with everyone in your household.” Follow these safety tips and visit redcross.org/fire for more information,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Attorneys for the UC Regents and a UCLA doctor have reached a tentative settlement with a man who sued for medical malpractice after his wife died in 2019 at age 33 of liver failure after allegedly being overprescribed a statin. Lawyers for plaintiff Ashley Steele filed a notice of conditional settlement on Monday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Audra Mori, stating that the accord is subject to approval during a meeting by the UC Board of Regents in January. No terms were divulged. The lawsuit stemmed from the death of Maria Steele, a native of...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Longtime labor and civil rights leader Yvonne Wheeler was unanimously elected as president of the Los Angeles County Federation of Labor, the first Black woman to oversee the organization with 300 affiliated unions and labor organizations representing more than 800,000 members. Wheeler succeeds Ron Herrera, who resigned Oct. 10, one day after the release of a recorded conversation with three Los Angeles City Council members which included a series of racially charged remarks. “I am honored to be elected to lead during such a critical time for workers,” Wheeler said. “In a post-COVID reality, we have...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Starting tomorrow, California Highway Patrol officers will be out in force over the Thanksgiving weekend, on the lookout for people driving drunk or impaired, or violating other traffic laws, authorities announced. “As millions of people venture out for the Thanksgiving holiday, the CHP is preparing for one of the busiest travel weekends in the nation,” CHP Commissioner Amanda Ray said in a statement Monday. “Enjoy your Thanksgiving festivities, but please celebrate responsibly, wear your seat belt, and always designate a sober, non-drinking driver,” Ray said. The CHP’s “maximum enforcement period” will begin at 6:01 p.m....
LOS ANGELES – In anticipation of the busiest travel week of the year, Metrolink, Southern California’s regional passenger rail service, will offer a Holiday Pass this Thanksgiving to help travelers avoid freeway gridlock and save money. On both Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 24, and Black Friday, Nov. 25, riders may use the Holiday Pass to take unlimited trips anywhere Metrolink travels for the entire day on which the pass is purchased. Visit metrolinktrains.com/holidaytickets for details on the Holiday Pass. The holiday fare also applies to Metrolink’s new Arrow service in San Bernardino and Redlands, launched on October 24. Thanksgiving...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Lindsey Horvath will take office next month as the new Los Angeles County supervisor representing the Third District, pledging to repeat her success as West Hollywood’s mayor and City Council member in reducing homelessness. Horvath declared victory Thursday night, 37 minutes before her opponent, Sen. Bob Hertzberg, conceded. “I am humbled and honored that the voters have chosen me to serve as their next supervisor,” Horvath said in a statement posted on Twitter at 6:48 p.m. after updated figures released by the Los Angeles County Registrar- Recorder/County Clerk’s office increased her lead to 19,542 votes. “Their...
Los Angeles City Clerk Holly L. Wolcott reminds voters that all Vote Centers will be open now through to Election Day on Nov. 8. Candidates for mayor, city attorney, city controller, City Council Districts (5, 11, 13 and 15), and candidates for Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) Board of Education Districts (2 and 6) will be included on the ballot. All voters can now cast their ballot at any Vote Center in the County of Los Angeles. In addition, voters can mail their ballot in until Election Day, Nov. 8, (if postmarked by Election Day and received within seven...
Lindsey Horvath, West Hollywood city councilwoman Robert Hertzberg, California state senator LOS ANGELES (CNS) – West Hollywood City Councilwoman Lindsey Horvath was still clinging to a narrow lead after the latest updated vote count against state Sen. Bob Hertzberg in their battle for an open seat on the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors. As Election Day votes continued to be tallied, Hertzberg, D-Van Nuys, and Horvath had almost evenly split the vote — 51% to 49% — with Hertzberg holding a slim 4,100-vote lead. As of Friday afternoon, however, Horvath overtook Hertzberg by a narrow margin of just 670...
Joe Curcio and Richard Hernandez are lifelong friends and City of San Fernando natives who grew up in the small town. Curcio and Hernandez are both veterans of the Vietnam War. Both served in the Marine Corps in 1968 — Hernandez enlisted while Curcio was drafted a few months later. Decades after their service ended, the two still keep in touch with one another, although neither one still lives in San Fernando. But one of those times when they can count on seeing each other in person is during the Valley Veterans Day Parade. They look forward to being among...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Voters in the Southland and across California strongly backed a ballot measure to formally establish a right to reproductive freedom, most notably the right to an abortion, in the state constitution. Proposition 1 was drafted by the state Legislature as a direct response to the US Supreme Court’s overturning of Roe v. Wade, which had established the federal right to an abortion for nearly 50 years. “With the court punching holes in constitutional protections, our rights are in free fall,” Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood, said in June when the measure was approved in Sacramento. He...
On Thursday, November 10 the North Valley Military Institute honored community veterans with a Veteran Honor Wall and a Pass in Review. 350 cadets participated in the Pass in Review to honor community veterans along with Los Angeles and San Fernando Dignitaries. Those in attendance were: Robert E Marino – LAPD Assistant Chief of Police, Scott Schmerelson – LAUSD Board Member, George Gascon – LA District Attorney, Congressman Tony Cardenas, Cindy Montanez – San Fernando Councilmember, Sylvia Ballin – San Fernando Councilmember, Mary Mendoza – Mayor of San Fernando, Fabian Valdez – San Fernando Chief of Police, Michelle Vergara Sr...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Congresswoman Karen Bass has widened her lead over developer Rick Caruso to more than 9,000 votes as ballots in the Los Angeles mayoral election as ballots continue to be counted. On Saturday, the Los Angeles County Registrar-Recorder/County Clerk posted the latest numbers, with Bass at 306,990 votes to Caruso’s 297,527, for a 50.7% to 49.3% lead. Hundreds of thousands of ballots still remain uncounted, however, and a winner might not be determined for days or even weeks. The next update will be provided Monday between 4 and 5 p.m., according to election officials. Further updates...
The Board of Directors for the San Fernando National Little League canceled the rest of its season after threats were made through social media following an incident between its president, a local street vendor and a parent. On Nov. 6, James Bullock was at Pioneer Park prepping the field for the Little League’s baseball games. Around noon, a Latino street vendor set up shop near the field’s snack bar. Noticing that more parents were buying from the vendor and less from the snack bar, Bullock asked a member of the league’s Board of Directors who spoke Spanish, to ask him...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles City Council President Nury Martinez and Councilman Kevin de León apologized today for an attack on colleague Mike Bonin during a conversation in October 2021 that included racist slurs by Martinez directed at Bonin’s young son. “In a moment of intense frustration and anger, I let the situation get the best of me and I hold myself accountable for these comments. For that I am sorry,” Martinez said in a statement provided to City News Service. “The context of this conversation was concern over the redistricting process and concern about the potential negative impact...
WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – A second Los Angeles-area high school student has died from an overdose of fentanyl, officials said. He was a 17-year-old high school baseball player from Woodland Hills. Cade Kitchen, a student at El Camino Real High School — a charter school in Woodland Hills — died of fentanyl poisoning last week and the school sent a letter to the community Thursday announcing the student’s death. “It is with great sadness that I inform you that one of our 17-year- old students passed away last night,” David Hussey, the school’s executive director, said in the statement. “This...
San Fernando police and paramedics responded Friday morning to a possible overdose in the 100 block of South Maclay Avenue. At approximately 9:36 a.m., the San Fernando Police Department responded to a call of an unconscious male near Parking Lot 4. First responders administered first aid, including two doses of Narcan, which the victim responded to. The victim was revived and taken to Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. SFPD confirmed that the 29-year-old Hispanic male was treated and was released from the hospital.
By David Prosper Fall evenings bring a prominent visitor to southern skies for Northern Hemisphere observers: the bright star Fomalhaut! Sometimes called “The Autumn Star,” Fomalhaut appears unusually distant from other bright stars in its section of sky, leading to its other nickname: “The Loneliest Star.” Since this star appears so low and lonely over the horizon for many observers, is so bright, and often wildly twinkles from atmospheric turbulence, Fomalhaut’s brief but bright seasonal appearance often inspires a few startled UFO reports. While definitely out of this world – Fomalhaut is about 25 light years distant from us –...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Metro will offer free rides on all trains and buses Wednesday for California Clean Air Day. California Clean Air Day is an effort by the Coalition for Clean Air to encourage people to improve community health by using public transit. “The best way for residents of Los Angeles County to reduce toxic tailpipe emissions in the air is to leave the car at home and ride Metro,” said Ara Najarian, board chair of Metro. “If people park their cars and ride Metro on Clean Air Day, we know they’ll see how safe, clean and convenient it is to ride...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Days after data hacked from the Los Angeles Unified School District was posted on the dark web, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho stood firm today on his refusal to pay the ransom demanded by an international hacking syndicate, while the district opened a hotline for parents and staffers concerned about their personal information. “I understand there will be many opinions on this matter but, simply said, negotiating with cybercriminals attempting to extort education dollars from our kids, teachers and staff will never be a justifiable option,” Carvalho wrote on his Twitter page Monday morning. “LAUSD refuses to pay...
San Fernando police and paramedics responded this morning to a possible overdose in the 100 block of South Maclay Avenue. At approximately 9:36 a.m., the San Fernando Police Department responded to a call of an unconscious male near Parking Lot 4. First responders administered first aid, including two doses of Narcan, which the victim responded to. The victim was revived and taken Providence Holy Cross Medical Center. SFPD confirmed that the 29-year-old Hispanic male was treated and was released from the hospital.
By Maria Luisa TorresSpecial to the San Fernando Valley Sun Assemblymember Luz Rivas has secured million in much-needed funding for the Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando Valley. Rivas made the announcement on Wednesday, Sept. 28, at the Boys and Girls Club of SFV in Pacoima to much applause. “This crucial funding for the Boys and Girls Club of San Fernando Valley will be a direct investment in the safety and well-being of our youth,” said Rivas, who noted her understanding of the need and the importance of the club, as she grew up in the Northeast San...
By Don ThompsonAssociated Press SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — A broadly smiling California Gov. Gavin Newsom joined about two dozen jubilant, cheering farmworkers camped outside the state Capitol Wednesday to sign one of the most contentious bills before him this year, reversing course on a measure to help farmworkers unionize after President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris supported it. The White House support pinned Newsom in a difficult political position after his office announced before Democratic lawmakers sent him the bill that he would not sign it. But Newsom approved the bill only after he, the United Farm Workers...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – An athletic trainer who worked at two San Fernando Valley high schools has been charged with sex-related counts involving 10 teenage girls. Richard Alexander Turner, 64, is charged with six counts each of sexual penetration by use of force and sexual battery, four counts of sexual penetration of an unconscious person and one count each of forcible rape and forcible oral copulation, according to the Los Angeles County District Attorney’s Office. “The unconsciousness in this particular case really refers to the fact that they may not have immediately been aware that they were being sexually molested,”...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The three main housing agencies tasked with reducing homelessness in the Los Angeles area failed to spend nearly 0million in federal grants between 2015 and 2020 and the money was returned to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, according to a newspaper report. According to the Los Angeles Times, the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority (LAHSA) returned more than million to HUD during the six-year period, the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles returned more than million and the Los Angeles County Development Authority returned nearly million. LAHSA spokesman...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Two-thirds of Angelenos believe the Los Angeles Police Department racially profiles Black people at a higher rate than other groups, according to a 2022 Loyola Marymount survey on police and community relations. Of the 1,755 residents surveyed, a majority of respondents across all races and ethnicities believed Black people are targeted by police more often than other racial groups. The percentage breakdowns ranged from 64% of Latino respondents to 73% of Black respondents. The survey, conducted between March 24 and June 3, was the second of a three-part study into public opinion of the LAPD by...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors officially went on record opposing Sen. Lindsey Graham’s bill that would ban abortions after 15 weeks across the country. The board’s motion, authored by Supervisor Hilda Solis and approved unanimously, calls on the county’s lobbyists to formally oppose the bill by Graham, R-South Carolina, and all similar proposed bans or restrictions. “The bill’s mere introduction demonstrates a further attempt to erode the right to an abortion nationwide — disputing the veiled attempt of some to rely on the argument that the right to an abortion should be left to...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – Police are seeking the public’s help to identify additional possible victims of a 37-year-old ride-share driver suspected of sexually assaulting a 13-year-old boy in Van Nuys. The victim was walking home in the area of Gilmore Street and Sylmar Avenue, near Van Nuys Elementary School, on Aug. 13 when he was approached by Jonh Erik Bastidas Arenas driving a 2021 White Toyota Prius, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Arenas allegedly opened the passenger door of the Prius, brandished a knife and directed the boy to enter the car. “Out of fear the victim complied...
Individuals can Apply Online Starting at 6:00 a.m., Monday, October 17, 2022, through 5:00 p.m., Sunday, October 30, 2022 (Pacific Time) Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti, along with other elected officials, will join the Housing Authority of the City of Los Angeles (HACLA) to officially announce the upcoming opening of the online Section Waiting List Lottery. Applications can be submitted online 24 hours a day, seven days a week, through a smartphone, mobile device, or computer with Internet access, starting at 6:00 a.m., Monday, October 17, 2022, through 5:00 p.m., Sunday, October 30, 2022 (Pacific Time). The Section 8 program provides rental...
A heat alert has been issued in the City of San Fernando for today through Wednesday. A Cooling Center at Las Palmas Park will be open from 9 am to 9 pm, through Wednesday, September 28, 2022. Transportation is available through Mission City Transit. Call (818) 366-4119 to arrange a pick-up.Please visit the City’s website (https://ci.san-fernando.ca.us/alert-san-fernando/#cooling-centers) and social media for updates or more information.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Summer may have ended, but that doesn’t mean we’re done with the heat. Forecasters say temperatures will be on the rise through the weekend, leading to excessive heat watches that will be in effect for most of the Southland early next week. According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a high-pressure system is building over the region, bringing temperatures that are expected to be five to 10 degrees above normal by Saturday. “Temperatures will be hottest on Monday and Tuesday when highs push into the 90s to around 105 degrees across the interior coastal plain, valleys,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Responding to recent fentanyl overdoses by students, including the death of a 15-year-old girl in a Hollywood school bathroom, the Los Angeles Unified School District announced today it will make the anti-overdose medication Narcan available at all of its campuses by mid-October. Doses of Narcan, or naloxone, will also be provided to all LAUSD school police officers, Superintendent Alberto Carvalho said. “We are experiencing a devastating epidemic. Whether we talk about fentanyl or the many variations of fentanyl, there is an abundance of drugs that students are having ready access to,” Carvalho said. “Effective the second...
PACOIMA (CNS) – Police are continuing their search today to find a 64-year-old man last seen in Pacoima. Guillermo Robledo was last seen on Sept. 13 in the area of Del Sur Street and Oneida Avenue, near Paxton Park, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Robledo is Hispanic, 5 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs 140 pounds. He has graying hair and brown eyes. He was last seen wearing brown shorts and a yellow and blue Club America soccer jersey, the LAPD reported. Anyone with information on Robledo’s whereabouts was asked to contact the LAPD Missing Persons Unit at...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles Unified School District confirmed Wednesday it has received a ransom demand following a Labor Day weekend cyber-attack that led to a shutdown of most of the district’s computer systems. The district has not responded to the unspecified demand, the source of which was not identified. LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho told the Los Angeles Times — which first reported the ransom demand — there have been “no new security breaches” stemming from the cyber-attack, and the district is continuing “our ramping up of apps and systems.” District officials said earlier that the attack temporarily...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Uber is partnering with a statewide LGBTQ+ civil rights organization to provide free rides to monkeypox vaccination sites throughout California, officials announced recently. “As vaccines are becoming increasingly available across our state, it’s critical to ensure transportation is not neglected,” said Tony Hoang, executive director of Equality California. “We are immensely grateful for our long-standing partnership with Uber and their commitment to full lived equality for all LGBTQ+ people.” The offer is good for round-trip rides up to each way. “Transportation should never be a barrier to getting vaccinated against the monkeypox virus,” said Ramona...
In the past decade, the number of new invasive cases of melanoma diagnosed each year has increased by 31%. Meanwhile, melanoma-related deaths are expected to rise by nearly 7% in 2022 alone, with no signs of slowing down. One of the most significant contributing factors to these alarming trends is climate change, as experts warn that global warming and ozone depletion lead to the sun’s UV rays penetrating the Earth’s surface with increasing intensity, ultimately causing greater harm to our skin. At Dignity Health – Northridge Hospital Medical Center (NHMC), oncologists at the Leavey Cancer Center recognize the devastating impact...
Photo Courtesy of Metropolitan Water District The green light has been given to residents in the city of San Fernando, Beverly Hills, Burbank, Glendale, Long Beach, Pasadena, and Torrance to resume limited watering outdoors. Residents were asked to voluntarily curtail watering as the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California completed repairs on a leak on a 36-mile pipeline. Repairs to the water pipeline connecting the Colorado River to customers in Los Angeles County were completed ahead of schedule The pipeline serviced the Foothill Municipal Water District, Three Valleys Municipal Water District and West Basin Municipal Water District that were affected...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Legal wrangling has escalated over the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department’s corruption probe of Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and the Metropolitan Transportation Authority — with a judge barring investigators from delving into computers seized from Metro during searches last week, and the sheriff’s department claiming the county fired its attorney in the matter. Superior Court Judge William Ryan has scheduled a hearing for Thursday and ordered the sheriff’s department to not copy the hard drives of Metro computers that were seized during the searches, according to documents obtained by LAist. The sheriff’s department issued a statement Friday morning...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A five-county enforcement effort targeting internet crimes against children netted 141 arrests, authorities said today. “Operation Protect the Innocent” was conducted Sept. 6-12 by personnel from the Los Angeles Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force, which includes more than five dozen law enforcement agencies, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The task force, led by the LAPD, covers Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Santa Barbara and Ventura counties, and the recent enforcement effort coincided with children’s return to school in many jurisdictions, according to the LAPD. The task force receives cyber tips from the National...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – Rapper Takeoff, who is part of the Atlanta song trio Migos, must submit to a deposition by Sept. 27 and pay a ,460 fine in a lawsuit brought by a woman who alleges the singer raped her in 2020, a judge has ruled. Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Huey P. Cotton issued the order Monday in the lawsuit brought in August 2020 by a woman identified only as Jane Doe. She alleges Takeoff, whose real name is Kirshnik Khari Ball, sexually assaulted her during a party at an Encino home on June 23, 2020. A failure...
This week, the Los Angeles Unified Board of Education unanimously approved promoting Latino/a/x Heritage Month from Sept. 15 to Oct. 15. The September-October period covers a wide range of Independence Days for Latin American countries such as Mexico, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and Chile. This time period also celebrates the historic and cultural contributions of the Latino/a/x community and acknowledges their influence on politics, the economy and society. Further, it honors the spirit and struggle for self-determination, dignity and respect for cultural heritage. With 73.8 percent of the district’s elementary and secondary students identifying as Latino/a/x, Los...
This week kicks off a month-long celebration of Latino culture and history – officially beginning on Sept. 15 to Oct. 15 – it coincides with Latin American and Spanish-speaking countries that celebrate their independence days in the middle of this month. Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras and Nicaragua all celebrate their independence on Sept. 15. Mexico celebrates its independence starting on the evening of Sept. 15 with El Grito de Dolores and the reenactment of the uprising led by the parish priest Father Miguel Hidalgo who rang his church bell and the cry for independence from Spain, which is...
The San Fernando Police Department is asking for the community’s help in identifying the person or person(s) responsible for starting a series of fires on the bike path on the 1300 block of 1st Street. At approximately 10:30 p.m. Monday, SFPD received reports of multiple fires along the bike path in the area behind the C. A. Schroeder, Inc. building. A total of 10 small fires were set along the bike path, between Maclay Avenue and Orange Grove Avenue, using debris and leaves. The fires were extinguished by firefighters. There was no reported damage to any property nearby except for...
SEPTEMBER 9, 2022 (LOS ANGELES)–With rain and wind in the forecast for Saturday, LADWP has scheduled additional field crews who are ready to respond to and restore outages, should they occur. The most frequent cause of power outages during heavy rain and wind storms is flying debris, like tree branches and palm fronds, that can make contact with power lines, resulting in outages. This is particularly true with the first rain after an extended period of time, and especially after dry conditions like the kind the region has seen as a result of the drought. LADWP urges all customers to...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Pointing to the COVID-19 pandemic as the driving factor, the Los Angeles Unified School District has released test scores showing sharp drop-offs in proficiency among students in nearly all grade levels in English and math. According to the preliminary Smarter Balanced Assessments released Friday, the percent of LAUSD students meeting or exceeding state standards in English dropped by about two percentage points compared to the pre-pandemic 2018-19 year — falling from 43.9% to 41.7%. In math, the drop was steeper, falling by five percentage points from 33.5% to 28.5%. “As anticipated, the preliminary state assessment results...
California officials and climate activists gathered in Pacoima Middle School today to celebrate 0 million being invested to help greenify schools across the state. The funds, approved by the state legislature and Gov. Gavin Newsom, will be used to plant grass and trees in asphalt-covered schoolyards. The investment comes at a time when California is experiencing its longest and most intense heat wave on record. “Scientists tell us that the average temperature across California will increase 6 degrees by the middle part of the century and 9 degrees by the end of the century,” said Wade Crowfoot, the California secretary...
The play by Teatro Akabal reminds audiences of past brutal mass murders in the Central American nation and current threats against Maya communities–and their impact on U.S. immigration. Seven times since 2009, the play “Sentado en un Árbol Caído” (Sitting on a Fallen Tree) has shined among the productions at Teatro Frida Kahlo with a heart-wrenching story about a Maya massacre that happened in Guatemala in the 1980s. This past weekend, a brief version of the play celebrated the long history and indomitable spirit of the small LA-based Latino theater and theater companies focused on themes relevant to Spanish-speaking immigrants....
During this blistering heat wave, there are designated cooling centers open until Sept. 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m, but there aren’t enough places to provide relief to the more than 60,000 people throughout L.A. County who are unhoused. While people who don’t have the best air conditioning in their homes or those who may want to save on their electricity bills go to their local mall to cool off and sit for a time, those who are unhoused and “appear homeless,” are often hustled away and not allowed to “loiter.” L.A. County and City libraries during their business...
During this blistering heat wave, there are designated cooling centers open until Sept. 9th from 10:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m, but there aren’t enough places to provide relief to the more than 60,000 people throughout L.A. County who are unhoused. While people who don’t have the best air conditioning in their homes or those who may want to save on their electricity bills go to their local mall to cool off and sit for a time, those who are unhoused and “appear homeless,” are often hustled away and not allowed to “loiter.” L.A. County and City libraries during their business...
By James AlfaroSpecial to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol Las Palmas Senior Citizen Center in San Fernando offers several classes for its older residents, but one that consistently receives high notes year after year – is “musica para el alma –Violeta Quintero’s music class.” Alfonso Covarrubias Jr., 74, has attended her class for the past 15 years and describes Quintero as an “excellent and patient teacher”. It was actually his mother who encouraged him to participate after he retired in 2003 and moved back to the San Fernando Valley. “When I lived out of state, during my visits on...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles County reported 10 more COVID-19-related deaths and more than 1,700 new infections today, while a newly approved vaccine booster shot targeting the Omicron variant of the virus started being offered in the county. The 10 new fatalities lifted the county’s overall death toll throughout the pandemic to 33,227. With 1,737 new confirmed infections, the county’s cumulative total rose to 3,421,995. Health officials have noted that official case numbers are likely low due to the number of people who rely on at-home tests but do not report the results to the county. According to the...
Latin American Cinemateca of Los Angeles (LACLA) is presenting its Cine Nepantla program with the streaming of the Costa Rican film, “Ceniza Negra.” “Ceniza Negra” is a heartwarming coming-of-age story, written and directed by Sofia Quiros Ubeda and starring an all Afro-Latino cast, with breakthrough performances by Smashleen Gutierrez, Humberto Samuels and Hortensia Smith. This film is part of this year’s Hispanic Heritage Month celebrations. The film follows 13-year-old Selva, who lives in a coastal town in the Caribbean. After the sudden disappearance of her only motherly figure, she is left to take care of her grandfather, who does not...
BEVERLY HILLS (CNS) – Alert messages transmitted to millions of cell phones, urging Californians to slash their power use due to strain on the state’s power system, worked dramatically well Tuesday and staved off rolling blackouts, Gov. Gavin Newsom said today — but he expressed concern about over-using the message system. Newsom, speaking to reporters in Beverly Hills, said 27 million messages were sent statewide calling for immediate power conservation, “and within minutes, we saw a roughly 2,600-megawatt reduction in usage.” “Had that not happened, we would have had some episodic load reduction,” he said, referring to possible rolling blackouts....
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A Pacoima woman was sentenced Tuesday, Aug. 6 to six months in home detention for her role in a drug trafficking ring that distributed narcotics — including oxycodone pills laced with fentanyl — to civilians and members of the U.S. Marine Corps, one of whom suffered a fatal overdose. Jessica Sarah Perez, 25, was also handed two years of federal probation, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. She pleaded guilty in January to a federal charge of conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute controlled substances, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Perez admitted...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A Los Angeles police officer is suing the city, alleging he experienced backlash for complaining about what he maintains was an attempt by City Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez to interfere with his attempt to serve a search warrant on a marijuana business. Senior Lead Officer Cesar Contreras filed the retaliation suit Wednesday in Los Angeles Superior Court, seeking unspecified damages. Rodriguez is not a defendant in the complaint. “Plaintiff was retaliated against for identifying and reporting what he believed to be violations of state and federal law and the state and federal constitutions,” the suit states. Through...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – California Highway Patrol officers will be ramping up operations on highways throughout Los Angeles County starting today to catch drunk and drug-impaired drivers as part of the agency’s annual Labor Day weekend enforcement campaign. The maximum enforcement period will get underway at 6 p.m. Friday and conclude at 11:59 p.m. Monday. During the period, all available officers will be deployed for targeted patrols. “Alcohol- and drug-impaired driving continues to be a leading cause of traffic fatalities and injuries in California, and the moment an impaired driver gets behind the wheel, they put themselves and every other...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles residents can submit ideas beginning today for how the city should spend more than million in city funds through the city’s Civil + Human Rights and Equity Department’s LA REPAIR Participatory Budgeting Program. Through October, residents in the neighborhoods of Boyle Heights, Mission Hills, Panorama City, North Hills and Southeast L.A. can submit program or service-based ideas at repair.lacity.org as part of the first round of the program. The LA REPAIR program, established by Mayor Eric Garcetti in 2021, seeks to address institutional racism and historic inequities by allowing residents of communities that...
CASTAIC (CNS) – Bolstered by the addition of two Super Scooper water-dropping aircraft, hundreds of firefighters on the ground and in the air continued their assault on a fast-moving brush fire in Castaic today, working to extend a containment line around a blaze that has destroyed at least one home, led to seven heat-related injuries and forced evacuations in the remote area. The Route Fire, which began around noon Wednesday alongside the Golden State (5) Freeway north of Lake Hughes Road, was mapped at 5,208 acres as of Thursday morning, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. But fire...
The Immigrants Are LA (IRLA) coalition held a While You Were Out Rally on Tuesday to welcome back Los Angeles County supervisors from two weeks of time off, and to urge them to include immigrants as they decide how to spend Phase II of federal American Rescue Plan (ARPA) COVID recovery funds. “We are gathered here today to raise our voices and call for a just recovery from the pandemic for all Angelenos, including the immigrants who have been on the front line of this fight and who have not gotten a break from the hardship that we have experienced...
PANORAMA CITY (CNS) – A man has been arrested in Texas in connection with a shooting in Panorama City earlier this month that left a man dead and four other people wounded, police said today. Luis Enriquez Hernandez, 37, was arrested Tuesday in the Houston area by a task force that included personnel from the FBI and the Houston Police Department, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The shooting occurred on the afternoon of Aug. 3 near Parthenia Street and Tobias Avenue, according to the LAPD. Jonathan Santillano, 37, of Sylmar was pronounced dead at the scene, and four...
CASTAIC (CNS) – Amid searing triple-digit heat, a brush fire eruptedtoday in dry vegetation alongside the Golden State (5) Freeway in Castaic. Evacuations have been ordered for all residents of the Paradisemobile home park and all structures south of Templin Highway along Upper Ridge Route Road. Sheriff’s officials say residents are being told to evacuate to the north to escape the flames, which are now estimated at about 250 acres. Two Los Angeles County Fire Department firefighters suffered minor heat-related injuries while battling the blaze and were taken to the hospital for treatment, according to the department. The Route Fire...
PANORAMA CITY (CNS) – A man has been arrested in Texas in connection with a shooting in Panorama City earlier this month that left a man dead and four other people wounded, police said today. Luis Enriquez Hernandez, 37, was arrested Tuesday in the Houston area by a task force that included personnel from the FBI and the Houston Police Department, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The shooting occurred on the afternoon of Aug. 3 near Parthenia Street and Tobias Avenue, according to the LAPD. Jonathan Santillano, 37, of Sylmar was pronounced dead at the scene, and four...
Laila Zital Reyes 13-year-old female juvenile has been reported missing. She has black hair, and brown eyes and is 4’11”, 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black zip-up hoodie with grey cargo pants and white shoes. Last seen @ 8:30 am in front of San Fernando Middle School. If seen, immediately call San Fernando Police Department at 818-898-1267. Hit “0” for Dispatch.
Laila Zital Reyes 13-year-old female juvenile has been reported missing. She has black hair, and brown eyes and is 4’11”, 100 pounds. She was last seen wearing a black zip-up hoodie with grey cargo pants and white shoes. Last seen @ 8:30 am in front of San Fernando Middle School. If seen, immediately call San Fernando Police Department at 818-898-1267. Hit “0” for Dispatch.
A heat alert has been issued in the City of San Fernando for today and through Labor Day. A Cooling Center at Las Palmas Park will be open from 9 am to 9 pm, through Monday, September 5, 2022. Please visit the City’s website (https://ci.san-fernando.ca.us/alert-san-fernando/#cooling-centers) and social media for updates or more information
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A 31-year-old Sherman Oaks man was sentenced today to 20 years behind bars for distributing fentanyl that caused the overdose deaths of two people. Trent Tomasovich sold fentanyl to a woman who took the drug at a Woodland Hills apartment and died during the early morning hours of July 14,2018. The 24-year-old woman was visiting a friend, who found her unresponsive and then summoned paramedics, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. Several hours later, the boyfriend of another woman who lived in the Woodland Hills apartment found the narcotics that the deceased woman had purchased. Ignoring...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The union representing Los Angeles Unified School District teachers announced today its members have voted to boycott the first of four “optional” instruction days that were added to the LAUSD’s academic calendar this year without union negotiations. “The district chose to add these ‘Accelerated Days’ at a cost of about 2 million without consulting with parents, teachers or other school workers,” United Teachers Los Angeles — which is involved in ongoing contract negotiations with the district — announced in a statement Friday. “In response to this decision, 93% of UTLA members voted to boycott LAUSD’s first...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A federal jury today ordered Los Angeles County to pay million in damages over the actions of first-responders who snapped and shared gruesome photos from the scene of the 2020 helicopter crash that killed Laker legend Kobe Bryant, his 13-year-old daughter and seven other people. The damages were awarded to Bryant’s widow, Vanessa, and co-plaintiff Chris Chester, whose wife Sarah and 13-year-old daughter Payton also died in the Jan. 26, 2020, crash on a Calabasas hillside. The jury awarded Bryant million and Chester million. Jurors in downtown Los Angeles reached their verdict after...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles County again expanded the eligibility criteria for the monkeypox vaccine, even as supply of the doses remains limited. According to the county Department of Public Health, the vaccine will now be offered to gay or bisexual men and transgender people who have had skin-to-skin intimate contact with people at large venues or events in the past 14 days. Also newly eligible are people of any gender or sexual orientation who engaged in commercial and/or transactional sex in the past 14 days — that includes people who engaged in sexual activity in exchange for money,...
By Cesar ArredondoSpecial to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol More than three decades ago, the Frida Kahlo Theater opened up its doors in Los Angeles to feature plays in Spanish and challenge the local perception that Spanish-speaking Latinos lack appreciation for the arts. To date, the small venue has featured more than 300 works. Now, a current 35-year multidisciplinary retrospective pays tribute to the little “Teatro” that could and does. “Disrupting the Mainstream” is a month-long retrospective featuring excerpts from their plays, a documentary that explores how this theater company survived the pandemic while so many others closed, and...
For the past two-plus years, the COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted children’s education and frustrated parents. With the back-to-school season in full swing, Suzanne Silverstein — MA, ART, founding director of Cedars-Sinai Share & Care — and Rose Bisellach — RN, nurse manager in the Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center Emergency Room — give their best advice for a successful school year. Physical Health Q: Who should get the COVID-19 vaccine before going back to school? Bisellach: We recommend that all children who are eligible get the COVID-19 vaccine, especially if your child is at high risk. We say high...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Triple-digit heat was baking parts of northern Los Angeles County today, prompting warnings for residents to take precautions. “A persistent ridge of high pressure aloft over the region will result in very warm to hot temperatures from the valleys and inland through Tuesday with some cooling on Wednesday,” according to the National Weather Service. An excessive heat warning took effect in the Antelope Valley at 9 a.m. and will remain in place until 10 p.m. Forecasters said Lancaster could get temperatures of up to 110 degrees. According to the NWS, the record high for Tuesday’s date...
The Secretary of State’s office conducted a drawing for the City of San Fernando on Thursday to determine the official placement of candidates’ names on the ballot. Below is the order in which the candidates’ names will appear. The candidate nominees for City of San Fernando councilmembers are: Sylvia Ballin, Mary Solorio, Mary Mendoza, Joel Fajardo and Victoria Garcia. These individuals have been nominated for the offices designated to be filled at the General Municipal Election to be held in the City of San Fernando on Tuesday, Nov. 8, 2022, to elect three City Councilmembers, each to serve for a term...
PACOIMA (CNS) – Authorities today identified a man who was killed in a Pacoima-area shooting that left a woman critically wounded. The crime occurred about 6:40 p.m. Tuesday as the pair were riding in a northbound Honda Civic in the 10800 block of Sutter Avenue, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. “As the Honda Civic passed up the street, a suspect emerged from parked vehicles and fired multiple rounds at the Honda,” police said in a statement. “The Honda Civic continued northbound on Sutter Avenue and eastbound on Pinney Street,” police said. “The driver left the car parked in...
The Greater Los Angeles County Vector Control District (GLACVCD) has confirmed 13 additional mosquito samples that tested positive for West Nile virus on Monday, bringing the total number to 76 within the district’s area. In the latest update, the district detected the first positive samples in the communities of Canoga Park, Downey, Eagle Rock and Winnetka. The City of San Fernando has one positive sample, Reseda and Van Nuys have three, Panorama City and North Hills have five and Granada Hills has seven — the highest number of positive samples found within the district. West Nile virus, the leading cause...
The California Latino Legislative Caucus elected Assemblymember Sabrina Cervantes (D-Riverside) as its chair on Tuesday. She will take office and succeed the current Caucus chair, State Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D-Los Angeles), on Dec. 5, 2022. The mother of triplets, Cervantes is the first openly LGBTQ+ female, the first Latina millennial and the first Inland Empire representative elected as vice chair, and now, chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus. “It is an incredible honor to have been elected chair of the California Latino Legislative Caucus,” said Assemblymember Cervantes. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the Latino...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A judge denied Costco Wholesale Corp.’s request for a temporary restraining order against a Calabasas-based petition management firm and other organizations that have allegedly sent people without authorization to solicit signatures from customers on various issues at four San Fernando Valley warehouses. Van Nuys Superior Court Judge Virginia Keeny said lawyers for the warehouse chain had not provided enough evidence showing the one named defendant, PCI Consultants Inc., has participated in the solicitations. The other groups allegedly involved are referred to as “Doe associations” because their members have refused to identify their affiliation when asked to...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Former Los Angeles City Councilman Mitchell Englander was fined nearly ,000 by the city’s Ethics Commission today for violating city gift laws. Englander — who represented District 12 in the San Fernando Valley from July 2011 until he resigned three years ago — already completed a 14-month sentence for trying to obstruct an investigation into bribery allegations in City Hall politics. Englander was served an Ethics Commission accusation last December, charging him with two counts of accepting excess gifts, one count of misusing a city position and two counts of failing to disclose gifts. “I think what...
PACOIMA (CNS)- A 20-year-old man was killed, and a 19-year-old woman is in critical condition today after a drive-by shooting in Pacoima. The shooting was reported at 6:51 p.m. Tuesday and Los Angeles Police Department officers responded to the 13000 block of Van Nuys Boulevard south of the Ronald Reagan (118) Freeway where they learned the victims were sitting in their parked car when another vehicle drove up alongside them and fired at them multiple times, LAPD Officer Tony Im told City News Service. The victims drove to a Los Angeles Fire Department Fire station and paramedics took them to...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A man allegedly armed with a machete was shot and wounded by Los Angeles police in the Van Nuys area today. Officers went to the 17300 block of Sherman Way at about 7 a.m., according to the Los Angeles Police Department. The man, in his 20s, was taken to a hospital in unknown condition for treatment of multiple gunshot wounds, police said. There were no reports of officers injured. The circumstances of the shooting were under investigation.
WEST HILLS (CNS) – One week after a bizarre crash into a Mar Vista home, Anne Heche was declared brain dead at Grossman Burn Center at West Hills Hospital and Medical Center, the family announced today, although the actress was kept on life support so her organs could be harvested for donation. A family representative said Heche, 53, was officially declared brain dead Thursday night from injuries suffered when she crashed her blue Mini Cooper into a home in the 1700 block of South Walgrove Avenue around 11 a.m. Aug. 5. The house was largely destroyed in the ensuing fire....
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles County officially has escaped the federal government’s “high” COVID-19 activity category, advancing to the “medium” level thanks to the falling rate of new virus-related hospital admissions. The county moved into the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s “high” category in mid-July when the average daily rate of people being admitted to hospitals for COVID reasons topped 10 per 100,000 residents. The county lingered in the “high” category for several weeks, raising the possibility of health officials re-imposing an indoor mask-wearing mandate. The county ultimately opted against the move, citing steady improvements in new...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A man who murdered his estranged wife — whose badly burned body was discovered at a homeless encampment in Granada Hills — was sentenced today to 26 years to life in state prison. “I have no doubt that you killed her,” Superior Court Judge Eleanor J. Hunter told Hector Veloz, who was found guilty May 2 of first-degree murder for Sandra Velasco’s June 2017 slaying. The judge told the 51-year-old defendant that he covered up his crime, “kept up the charade” and in the “ultimate insult” burned the 52-year-old woman’s body beyond recognition. “The way you...
The Los Angeles County Department of Public Social Services (DPSS) has launched its August “Essential Services Month” campaign to inform all County residents about its benefit programs and encourage anyone in need to apply. “We offer several ways to apply for benefits. You can go online to the BenefitsCal enrollment site at https://dpss.lacounty.gov/, or call our Customer Service Center at 866-613-3177. You can also visit our offices to get assistance,” says DPSS Acting Director Jackie Contreras. Essential Services Month will showcase the Department’s award-winning “What is?” video series to explain each program and how to apply. DPSS offers healthcare, nutrition...
It’s been three years in the making, but at last, Federal judge Dolly Gee in Los Angeles recently gave final approval to a detailed settlement setting the standards for the conditions of detention of accompanied and unaccompanied minors in the El Paso and Rio Grande sectors. These sectors of the US Border Patrol in Texas account for eighty-five percent of all detained minors. “This settlement will bring an end to the appalling and sometimes deadly detention policies the Trump administration adopted against thousands of vulnerable immigrant children. President Trump’s cruel and senseless policies terrorized thousands of detained immigrant children causing...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – The Van Nuys Airport celebrated the reopening of a runway following six months of reconstruction work. The .1 million project rebuilt the entire 4,000-foot length of Runway 16L/34R, adding LED lighting, airfield signage, surface markings and a run-up safety area. The repair work is expected to extend the runway — one of the airport’s two — for another two decades. “As one of the busiest general aviation airports in the country, Van Nuys Airport is proud to provide our tenants and visitors with facilities that will enhance safety and efficiency for decades to come,” said Justin...
Fans have been visiting Olivia Newton-John’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame to pay their respect and mourn the death of the Australian icon. She died Monday, Aug. 8 at her Southern California ranch at age 73 following a decades-long battle with breast cancer. “Olivia has been a symbol of triumphs and hope for over 30 years sharing her journey with breast cancer,” her husband, John Esterling wrote on her Facebook page. “Her healing inspiration and pioneering experience with plant medicine continues with the Olivia Newton-John Foundation Fund, dedicated to researching plant medicine and cancer.” Newton-John had a string...
MAR VISTA (CNS) – Los Angeles police today were awaiting the result of blood tests on actress Anne Heche to determine if alcohol or drugs factor into a crash that left her car fully inside a Mar Vista home, which caught fire and was largely destroyed. Los Angeles Police Department Officer Annie Hernandez told City News Service investigators obtained a warrant for a blood draw from the actress following the Friday crash, in hopes of determining if alcohol or drugs played a role. The crash was reported shortly before 11 a.m. Friday at a two-story house in the 1700 block...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Charges could be filed as early as Monday against a registered nurse from Houston who is suspected of speeding a Mercedes through a Windsor Hills intersection, sparking a fiery crash that killed six people –including an infant and a pregnant woman. Nicole Lorraine Linton, 37, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. She’s hospitalized with moderate injuries at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, according to the California Highway Patrol. District Attorney George Gascón said Friday that his office would be “working with law enforcement throughout the weekend,” and the investigation could be presented...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Charges could be filed as early as Monday against a registered nurse from Houston who is suspected of speeding a Mercedes through a Windsor Hills intersection, sparking a fiery crash that killed six people –including an infant and a pregnant woman. Nicole Lorraine Linton, 37, was arrested on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter with gross negligence. She’s hospitalized with moderate injuries at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, according to the California Highway Patrol. District Attorney George Gascón said Friday that his office would be “working with law enforcement throughout the weekend,” and the investigation could be presented...
By ERIC HECity News ServiceLOS ANGELES (CNS) – A proposal that would require hotels in Los Angeles to place unhoused people in vacant hotel rooms and the city to consider its affordable housing needs before approving new hotel developments will come before voters in 2024, it was announced today. The citizen-initiated petition, filed in June, collected over 126,000 signatures and was submitted to the council. The council voted unanimously Friday to place the ordinance on the March 2024 ballot rather than adopt it immediately. The petition arrives as Project Roomkey, a program created in response to the pandemic which provided...
On- and off-ramps on Interstate 210 at Polk and Yarnell streets in Sylmar will be closed for up to 45 days for paving work, the California Department of Transportation announced. The Polk Street on-and off-ramps will be closed at 7 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 15.The Yarnell Street on- and off-ramps will be closed at 7 p.m. on Monday, August 22. Residents and local businesses located near the freeway may experience noise, vibrations, and dust associated with construction activities. The closure of the ramps will provide additional room for crews to pave the far-right lane. Motorists are advised to use alternate...
Information provided by LA Dodgers He was the voice of the Dodgers, and so much more. He was their conscience, their poet laureate, capturing their beauty and chronicling their glory from Jackie Robinson to Sandy Koufax, Kirk Gibson to Clayton Kershaw. Vin Scully was the heartbeat of the Dodgers – and in so many ways, the heartbeat of all of Los Angeles. Vin passed away at the age of 94 on Tuesday at his home in Hidden Hills. “We have lost an icon,” said Dodger President & CEO Stan Kasten. “The Dodgers’ Vin Scully was one of the greatest voices...
By Eric HeCity News Service LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles City Council voted Tuesday to ban homeless encampments within 500 feet of schools and daycare centers, following an hour-long disruption by opponents who interrupted the meeting with chants and shouts in the council chamber. But because of a technicality, the council will have to vote on the matter again next week. The council voted 11-3 Tuesday in favor of the measure after returning from the prolonged recess, with Council members Mike Bonin, Nithya Raman and Marqueece Harris-Dawson dissenting. The ordinance is an amendment to the city’s sweeping law...
Attendants of the “National Night Out” in Northridge hosted by the Devonshire Police Station, sit on the lawn awaiting for the showing of Disney’s Encanto to begin. (SFVS/N. Martinez)
RESEDA (CNS) – Authorities today identified a man who was fatally shot in Reseda. Officers sent to the 18000 block of Saticoy Street around 12:50 a.m. Friday found the mortally wounded man lying near a tree, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. Earl Hunter, 31, died at a hospital, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office. His city of residence was not known. Police have released few details of the investigation, and it was unclear if the killing was related to a shooting about an hour earlier in the 18500 block of Sherman Way. In that crime, two men...
HOLLYWOOD (CNS) – Flowers will be placed on the Hollywood Walk of Fame star of Nichelle Nichols today, two days after the actress best known for her landmark role of communications officer Lt. Nyota Uhura on “Star Trek” died at the age of 89. The flowers will be placed on the star located at 6635 Hollywood Blvd., near Cherokee Avenue. Nichols received the star in 1992. President Joe Biden was among those mourning Nichols’ death, saying in a statement, “In Nichelle Nichols, our nation has lost a trailblazer of stage and screen who redefined what is possible...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Doses of the newly approved Novavax vaccine against COVID-19 will become available to Southland residents this week, with long Beach offering doses beginning today and Los Angeles County scheduled to start administering the medication on Wednesday. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued an emergency use authorization for the vaccine on July 13 after it was found to be 90% effective against mild, moderate, and severe disease in the company’s Phase 3 clinical trial involving 30,000 participants ages 18 and older. Unlike the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines, the protein-based Novavax vaccine was developed...
RESEDA (CNS) – A man found with gunshot wounds in Reseda early today died at a hospital, and authorities were working to determine if his death was related to an earlier shooting that left two men hospitalized. Officers sent to the 18000 block of Saticoy Street about 12:50 a.m. Friday found a man lying near a tree, suffering from gunshot wounds, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. The man, about 30, died at a hospital, police said. His name was withheld, pending notification of his relatives. About an hour earlier, officers were called to the 18500 block of Sherman Way,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Citing continued downward trends in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations, Los Angeles County scrubbed plans to re-impose a universal indoor mask-wearing mandate that would have taken effect today. Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer told reporters in an online briefing Thursday that the county’s average daily number of new COVID cases over the past week was about 5,900 per day, down from 6,750 a week ago. There were 1,239 COVID-positive patients hospitalized in the county as of Thursday, down from 1,329 a week ago. She also noted that the average daily rate of people testing positive for the...
By Nancy De Los SantosSpecial to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol The illness seemed to always be lurking near Carlos Arriaga’s life. It wasn’t center stage, but stood somewhere in the shadows. He calls diabetes the silent killer, “You don’t know how bad it is until it gets you. You feel great until you don’t.” Diabetes had a foothold in his family, his mother was afflicted with the condition. Nineteen years ago, at the age of 44, Carlos was diagnosed with diabetes, but the doctors assured him he didn’t have to worry, and instead to just be careful with...
A small, 10-square block area in Pacoima is getting free cool pavement coatings on streets and parking lots as part of a joint effort to reduce urban heat in one of the San Fernando Valley’s hottest neighborhoods. The GAF Cool Community Project is a collaboration by GAF — a roofing and waterproofing manufacturer — the City of Los Angeles and organizations such as Pacoima Beautiful, Climate Resolve, Urban Semillas and the Global Cool Cities Alliance. The 10-square block area includes the parking lot and basketball courts at the Hubert Humphrey Memorial Recreation Center and the parking lot for Hillery T....
Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law on Friday that allows private citizens to sue anyone who manufactures, distributes, transports or imports assault weapons or ghost guns. Under Senate Bill 1327, a citizen can sue for a minimum of ,000 for each weapon, as well as attorney fees. Citizens also take legal action against gun dealers who illegally sell firearms to individuals under the age of 21. The bill is modeled after a Texas law that allows private citizens to sue abortion providers or anyone who aids a pregnant person in obtaining an abortion after six weeks of pregnancy....
WOODLAND HILLS (CNS) – Authorities today identified a man who was found stabbed to death in Woodland Hills. Officers were sent to the 5100 block of San Feliciano Drive just before 5:50 a.m. Tuesday after a witness jogging in the area found Camiar Sanayeh with multiple stab wounds to his back lying unconscious and not breathing on a sidewalk, the Los Angeles Police Department reported. Paramedics arrived at the scene prior to police and pronounced Sanayeh dead. According to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office, he was 41 years old. A preliminary investigation indicated to authorities that Sanayeh was stabbed...
Every year for the past 30 years, California State University, Northridge marine biologist Peter Edmunds has traveled to the Caribbean island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands to document the life history of fire coral on nearby reefs. In recent years, he has had grants to pay for the research, but he tapped into his savings to cover the expenses at the start of his project. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he worked closely with university officials to establish safety protocols to ensure his efforts to chronicle the life of the St. John fire coral continued. “This is more than just...
Candles and flowers have been placed around a street memorial under the 405 freeway underpass for Freddy Perez, a motorcyclist who was struck and killed during a hit-and-run on Saturday night. A dark-colored long-bed truck was going westbound on Rinaldi Street when it collided with Perez, it then continued onto the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway without stopping.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is spreading the word about a new, nationwide, three-digit hotline that began operation last weekend and will make it easier for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis to get immediate help. You can call or text 988 and receive assistance from a local source via the new national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. “988 is a game changer,” County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or who has a loved one that is in trouble can dialthis short, easy...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health is spreading the word about a new, nationwide, three-digit hotline that began operation last weekend and will make it easier for people experiencing suicidal thoughts or a mental health crisis to get immediate help. You can call or text 988 and receive assistance from a local source via the new national Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. “988 is a game changer,” County Supervisor Janice Hahn said in a statement. “Anyone experiencing a mental health crisis or who has a loved one that is in trouble can dialthis short, easy...
Every year for the past 30 years, California State University, Northridge marine biologist Peter Edmunds has traveled to the Caribbean island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands to document the life history of fire coral on nearby reefs. In recent years, he has had grants to pay for the research, but he tapped into his savings to cover the expenses at the start of his project. When the COVID-19 pandemic hit, he worked closely with university officials to establish safety protocols to ensure his efforts to chronicle the life of the St. John fire coral continued. “This is more than just...
Candles, photos, flowers, and messages of love have been placed around a makeshift street memorial under the 405 Freeway underpass to honor Freddy Perez, 30, a motorcyclist who was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver at about 11:45 p.m. on Saturday, July 16. Police are asking for public assistance in locating the driver of the vehicle that struck Perez. The vehicle is described as a dark-colored long bed truck that was traveling westbound on Rinaldi Street when it struck Perez, the driver of the truck continued onto the southbound San Diego (405) Freeway without stopping. Perez, a Granada Hills resident had many friends and...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – With the highly infectious BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants driving up case and hospitalization numbers, Los Angeles County moved into the “high” COVID-19 activity level today, meaning an indoor mask-wearing mandate will be imposed on July 29 absent a major slowdown in virus-related hospital admissions. As of Thursday, the average daily rate of COVID-19-positive patients being hospitalized in the county rose to 10.5 per 100,000 residents. That topped the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s threshold for “high” virus activity. The county was previously in the “medium” category. County Public Health Director Barbara Ferrer has warned...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A transient who lived in various locations in the San Fernando Valley has been sentenced to 135 months in federal prison for a two-week crime spree in which he robbed five U.S. Postal Service employees –and fired a handgun so close to one victim that it caused him to suffer a ruptured eardrum, the Department of Justice announced today. Elvyn Antonio Rodriguez, 22, a Nicaraguan national illegally residing in the United States, was sentenced Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Dolly M. Gee, who also ordered him to pay ,825 in restitution to the USPS and two...
Teenage Drama Workshop (TADW), the nationally acclaimed summer youth theater program offered by California State University, Northridge, will celebrate its 65th anniversary this summer with a return to full production and two plays that illustrate the drama involved in sibling relationships. “Hammered: A Thor and Loki Play,” which features the two brothers as teenagers, will open on Saturday, July 9, and will run through July 21. “Disney Frozen, Jr.” — the tale of two sisters based on the popular Disney animated movie — will open on Friday, July 8, and will run through July 21. “This year we are very excited...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A former U.S. Postal Service mail carrier from Palmdale pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges for scheming to steal more than 0,000 in unemployment insurance funds by making false claims of COVID-related job losses and for stealing debit cards intended for other people on his mail route. Stephen Glover, 32, entered his plea in downtown Los Angeles to one count each of mail fraud and theft of mail by an officer or employee, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office. U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson scheduled a Sept. 19 sentencing hearing, at which time Glover will face...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Los Angeles County remains on pace to enter the “high” COVID-19 activity level as early as today, the public health director said, and absent a major reversal in virus-related hospitalizations, an indoor mask-wearing mandate will be imposed two weeks later. The county is already in the “medium” COVID level as defined by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, based on the elevated rate of people being infected with the virus. If the county’s rate of daily COVID-positive patients being admitted to area hospitals tops 10 per 100,000 residents, it will enter the “high” category....
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Dodgers scout Mike Brito, best known for discovering Fernando Valenzuela in 1979 when he was an 18-year-old pitching in the Mexican League, died today at age 87, the team announced. Brito was a catcher in the Washington Senators’ minor league system from 1955-61, reaching the Triple-A level and later played professionally in Mexico from 1961-66. Brito moved to Los Angeles in 1968 and, through his work as a Mexican League scout, became associated with the Dodgers and then-general manager Al Campanis. Campanis hired Brito full time in 1978, and the first player he signed was former...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The number of COVID-19-positive patients in Los Angeles County hospitals jumped over the 1,000 mark today, and the county reported its highest daily number of virus-related deaths since late March. The county Department of Public Health reported 18 COVID deaths on Friday, the largest daily number since March 30. The fatalities raised the county’s virus-related death toll to 32,413. According to state figures, there were 1,021 COVID-positive patients in county hospitals as of Friday, up from 989 on Thursday. The number of those patients being treated in intensive care was 99, down from 103 a...
PANORAMA CITY (CNS) – Police are seeking the public’s help to find an 11-year-old girl last seen in Panorama City. Nataly Arrellano was last seen about 9:40 p.m. Tuesday after she left her residence in the 14400 block of Nordhoff Street, according to the Los Angeles Police Department. Nataly is Hispanic, 4 feet, 6 inches tall and weighs about 110 pounds, with short black hair, brown eyes and a thin build. She was last seen wearing a gray top and black leggings. Anyone with information on Nataly’s whereabouts was asked to contact the LAPD at 818-838-9810 or 818-838-9800. Calls made...
SYLMAR (CNS) – Authorities are seeking the public’s help to locate a 37-year-old woman last seen in Sylmar. Tara Nicole Tidoni was last seen about 5 p.m. on June 19 in the 13500 block of Shablow Avenue, near Veterans Memorial Community Regional Park, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Tidoni is white, 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs 160 pounds, with green eyes, a brown pony tail and star tattoos on her left arm. She was last seen wearing black leggings and a dark-colored hoodie. Anyone with information on Tidoni’s whereabouts was asked to contact the LASD...
SUN VALLEY (CNS) – Hailing it as an advancement that will bolster future water supplies, Los Angeles city officials cut the ribbon on a Sun Valley project that will dramatically increase the capacity of a stormwater recapture and groundwater-recharge system. “As LA continues to grow and our access to fresh water is at risk, it’s clear we have to improve our existing systems,” City Council President Nury Martinez said in a statement after the ceremony at the Tujunga Spreading Grounds. “Now these grounds have the potential to provide enough water to serve 64,000 households annually and this community has brand...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A consolidated lawsuit brought against the Los Angeles Unified School District in which multiple plaintiffs alleged they were sexually abused by a former wrestling coach at Poly High School in Sun Valley has been tentatively settled. Lawyers for the plaintiffs filed court papers on Friday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard J. Burdge stating that a “conditional” accord was reached in the cases filed against the LAUSD, the Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley in Pacoima and the former coach, Terry Gillard, just days before Tuesday’s scheduled start of the trial. No terms...
The Northeast San Fernando Valley is an “art nest” of musicians and visual artists who have celebrated their community by sharing their talent. While Ritchie Valens, Cheech Marin and George Lopez are the most notable, others have successful careers as visual artists and muralists who’ve provided a boom of public art, along with writers and musicians. Congressman Tony Cárdenas (CA-29) announced Daniela Vigil, a graduating senior at Mission Continuation High School, as the winner of this year’s Congressional Art Competition. One notable program has been the city of...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A consolidated lawsuit brought against the Los Angeles Unified School District in which multiple plaintiffs alleged they were sexually abused by a former wrestling coach at Poly High School in Sun Valley has been tentatively settled. Lawyers for the plaintiffs filed court papers on Friday with Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Richard J. Burdge stating that a “conditional” accord was reached in the cases filed against the LAUSD, the Boys & Girls Club of San Fernando Valley in Pacoima and the former coach, Terry Gillard, just days before Tuesday’s scheduled start of the trial. No terms...
By Ethan Lachman Special to the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol Sylmar resident Santos Juarez’s idol, four-time Super Bowl-winning quarterback Joe Montana of the San Francisco 49ers, once said at the end of a game that all he wanted was to be able “to look at [himself] in the mirror, win or lose, and know [he] gave it everything [he] had.” Juarez, who passed away June 6 of natural causes at age 88, did just that. He gave it all he had in more than 40 years of volunteering as a youth sports coach. According to those who knew him,...
CHATSWORTH (CNS) – A father and son found dead in Chatsworth were identified by authorities today, as the investigation continued into what police said could be a murder-suicide. Police were called at about 8:20 p.m. Tuesday to the 21000 block of Plummer Street near De Soto Avenue regarding a possible suicide, Deputy Chief Alan Hamilton of the Los Angeles Police Department told reporters. Jose Romo Guerra, 35, and Michael Romo Sandoval, 10, both of Canoga Park, died at the scene, according to the Los Angeles County coroner’s office, which reported that the pair were father and son....
SAN FERNANDO (CNS) – A Santa Clarita man convicted of involuntary manslaughter for the death of his boyfriend — a UC San Diego student – was sentenced today to three years he had already served behind bars. Jurors acquitted Christian Alexander Ortiz, now 26, of murder and found him guilty of the lesser charge of involuntary manslaughter involving the September 2018 death of 20-year-old Brayan Rodriguez, according to Deputy District Attorney Julie Kramer. Ortiz testified in his own defense and contended that Rodriguez had died accidentally during “erotic asphyxiation,” according to the prosecutor, who countered that the act...
The San Fernando Outdoor Market has opened a new chapter in its brief history. The market, which began in February of 2021, held its inaugural Pride edition on June 25 to celebrate members of the LGBTQ+ community. Vendors lined the streets of the San Fernando Market despite the sweltering heat. Some booths had small Pride flags to commemorate Pride Month. As the sun began to set and the market’s opening was almost halfway through, the evening’s unique attraction — a Pride march — emerged. Starting from the intersection of San Fernando Road and South Brand Boulevard, a large group...
To put it simply, goodbye. This edition of the San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol newspaper — June 30 — is the last one for me. I am retiring, not only from the Sun/el Sol but also as a working journalist. As I say goodbye to the San Fernando Valley (at least professionally), I want to thank you for embracing me and reading my work here for the past 13-plus years, starting in February of 2009 when I was hired after spending a year out of work because my previous employer, the Los Angeles Times, was shedding personnel via buyouts and...
CANOGA PARK(CNS) — A man was killed in a violent hit and run crash in Canoga Park and police today are searching for the driver who left the scene. Police were called at approximately 12:30 a.m. to De Soto Avenue and Vanowen Street where they learned the driver of a black Dodge Ram truck ran a red light and slammed into a Lexus. The driver of the Lexus was ejected with the impact of the collision and struck a utility pole, Los Angeles Police Department Officer Lizeth Lomeli told City News Service. “The driver [of the Dodge Ram] was traveling...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – It was another hot and dry day in the Southland today, with a mini heat wave expected to bring triple-digit heat to parts of the area, with the elevated temperatures continuing through tomorrow. A heat advisory will be in effect until 8 p.m. Monday in the Los Angeles and Santa Monica mountains, but it will remain in effect until 8 p.m. Tuesday in the San Fernando, San Gabriel and Santa Clarita valleys. Forecasters said the valleys and L.A. mountains could see temperatures as high as 105 degrees. “Hot and dry conditions will persist through Tuesday as...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A fourth day of protest was scheduled today in downtown Los Angeles against the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to overturn federal abortion protections provided under Roe v. Wade. RiseUp4AbortionRights asked participants to walk out from work or school at 2 p.m. and rally at 3 p.m. at the U.S. Courthouse at 350 W. First St. Sunday’s demonstration, organized by the groups The Feminist Front and Generation Ratify, began at 1 p.m. at Grand Park. It came on the heels of two days of demonstrations following the US Supreme Court 5-4 decision Friday to overturn 1973’s...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 3,088,482 (as of June 24). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 14,421Burbank: 25,530Canoga Park: 21,519Chatsworth: 10,386Encino: 12,054Granada Hills: 17,670Lake Balboa: 13,352Lake View Terrace: 4,899Mission Hills: 10,028North Hills: 21,349North Hollywood: 49,961Northridge: 21,007Pacoima: 33,646Panorama City: 28,566Porter Ranch: 8,419Reseda: 26,486Reseda Ranch: 1,525 San Fernando: 11,002Shadow Hills: 1,063Sherman Oaks: 21,956Studio City: 5,520Sunland: 5,555Sun Valley: 19,837Sylmar: 35,799Tarzana: 8,498Toluca Lake: 2,005Tujunga: 7,314Valley Glen: 9,457Valley Village: 6,792 Van Nuys: 32,178West Hills: 9,953Winnetka: 16,534Woodland Hills: 16,624 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
The Los Angeles Dodgers have activated left-handed pitcher Andrew Heaney from the injured list, recalled infielder/outfielder Zach McKinstry, optioned right-handed pitcher Reyes Moronta and placed outfielder Mookie Betts on the injured list with a right rib fracture. Heaney, 30, returns from the injured list after missing two months and pitched against the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday, June 19. Prior to being sidelined with left shoulder discomfort, he was 1-0 with a 0.00 ERA (0 ER/10.1 IP) and 16 strikeouts in two games for the Dodgers. He made three rehab starts between Double-A Tulsa and Triple-A Oklahoma City, going 0-1 with...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A former classified employee is suing the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD), alleging she was fired in 2021 in retaliation for objecting to LAUSD’s mandatory employee coronavirus vaccine mandate on religious grounds. Deborah Mak, as a special education assistant at Kennedy High School in Granada Hills, filed suit in Los Angeles Superior Court alleging discrimination, retaliation, failure to prevent discrimination and retaliation, and failure to accommodate. Mak is seeking unspecified damages. “The district’s mandatory vaccination policy, which includes the wholesale denial of exemptions and accommodations, is unsupported by any local, state or federal guidance,” the...
SANTA MONICA (CNS) – Jury deliberations began from scratch today with an alternate juror in trial of a lawsuit filed by a Riverside County woman who claims comedian Bill Cosby sexually assaulted her at the Playboy Mansion in the 1970s when she was a teenager. Late Friday, the jury indicated it had reached verdicts on most of the questions it began deliberating one day earlier. Superior Court Judge Craig Karlan initially indicated he would read the partial verdicts, but there wasn’t enough time to do so before the courthouse had to close for the day. One of the jurors, however,...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A statue of Hall of Fame pitcher Sandy Koufax has been unveiled at Dodger Stadium’s Centerfield Plaza, three years after it was announced and two years later than originally planned. The Dodgers announced in 2019 that Koufax would be the second person in their “statue series,” with the unveiling expected in summer 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic altered those plans. The statue sits adjacent to Jackie Robinson’s in the Centerfield Plaza. Robinson’s statue was unveiled on April 15, 2017. Both sculptures were created by Branly Cadet. “Sixty-seven years ago, Jackie Robinson became my teammate and friend. At...
San Fernando Valley Sun/el Sol Staff The 1965 North Valley Broncos from Pacoima were a little league baseball team nobody from the City of San Fernando or Sylmar wanted to play — and not simply because of their talent. Segregation was still a defining standard at that time in parts of the Valley, and in those two communities. The North Valley Broncos players were all African American, and it was easy for segregated communities to refuse to let them play against their teams, even though a non-separated league had been created two years earlier. But the Broncos got the best...
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a fire at Magaly’s Tamales restaurant in the city of San Fernando this morning. There were no other details shared.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Rep. Karen Bass has pulled slightly ahead of billionaire real estate developer Rick Caruso as ballot-counting continues in the Los Angeles mayoral primary election — but the two are still headed for a November runoff. Initial election results from the June 7 vote showed Caruso in the lead, but when the latest tally was released Tuesday afternoon, Bass had 41.05% of the vote, with Caruso at 38.29%. With no candidate receiving more than 50% of the vote, the top two finishers will advance to the November general election. In another surprising reversal, Tuesday’s election update put...
Starting today, June 16, Pacoima residents and businesses may see a sprinkling of orange-red bikes and their riders cruising through its streets and roadways. And there are observers outside Pacoima and the Valley who are anxiously hoping that the community considers the bikes to be more than a curiosity and embraces them as a way of life. Pacoima is now host to a pilot program known as Electro-Bici, an electric bike-share program that for the next nine months will test and gauge the community’s willingness to use the bikes as an alternative method of transportation, and share usage with others....
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – A previously convicted Northridge doctor will pay more than .48 million to settle allegations that he submitted false claims to the Medicare and Medi-Cal programs, state Attorney General Rob Bonta announced today. Dr. Minas Kochumian allegedly billed the health insurance programs for drugs, procedures, services and tests that were never administered to patients, Bonta said. Of the .48 million, the state of California will receive 0,099, the attorney general said. “When doctors misuse the state’s Medi-Cal funds, they violate their Hippocratic Oath by harming a program which exists to help California’s Medi-Cal population, including the elderly,...
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a fire at Magaly’s Tamales restaurant in the city of San Fernando this morning. There were no other details shared.
The Los Angeles Fire Department responded to a fire at Magaly’s Tamales restaurant in the city of San Fernando this morning. There were no other details shared.
VAN NUYS (CNS) — New Orleans Pelicans center Jaxson Hayes — who pleaded no contest to two misdemeanor charges stemming from a run-in that resulted in his arrest last summer in Woodland Hills — was sentenced today to 450 hours of community service, 52 weeks of domestic-violence classes and three years of probation Hayes, now 22, pleaded no contest Feb. 24 to one misdemeanor count each of false imprisonment and resisting an officer, according to the Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office. He was given credit for one day already served in jail, will be subject to a protective order and...
VAN NUYS (CNS) – A man who allegedly shot and wounded a California Highway Patrol officer during a traffic stop in Studio City was taken into custody today in Van Nuys following an overnight search. Pejhmaun Khosroadbadi, 33, was arrested shortly before 9 a.m., CHP Officer Wes Haver of the agency’s West Valley Area office told City News Service. A canine from the Los Angeles Police Department tracked down Khosroadbadi, who was found by authorities hiding in a homeless encampment at Gloria Avenue and Cantlay Street, according to reports from the scene. The dog tracked Khosroadbadi’s scent from a Haskell...
ARLETA (CNS) – Police asked for the public’s help in identifying the suspects in a hit-and-run crash in Arleta that critically injured one person. Detectives from the Los Angeles Police Department’s Valley Traffic Division were called at around 1:15 a.m. Sunday, June 5, to Osborne Street and Beachy Avenue, where they learned a stolen van was traveling westbound on Osborne Street when it ran a red light at Beachy Avenue and collided with a Toyota Yaris, according to an LAPD bulletin. The passenger and driver of the van failed to stop and render aid as required by law and ran from...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The leader of a Mexico-based evangelical megachurch was sentenced to 16 years and eight months in prison for sex crimes involving three underage girls, despite emotional testimony by victims who asked a judge to reject his plea deal with prosecutors or sentence the defendant to a far longer prison term. Naasón Joaquín Garcia — the leader of La Luz del Mundo (Light of the World) pleaded guilty Friday to two counts of forcible oral copulation involving minors and one count of a lewd act upon a child who was 15 years old. Each of...
When drivers now enter the 101 Freeway in the West San Fernando Valley, they will be traveling on the Dr. Sally Ride Memorial Highway, named after the famed American astronaut. Assemblymember Jesse Gabriel (D-Woodland Hills) announced the designation between Balboa Boulevard and the 405 Freeway for the Encino native, who was the first American woman to go into space. Ride is also the first known astronaut to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community, as she had a 27-year-long relationship with her partner Tam O’Shaughnessy — a former professional tennis player and children’s science writer. Ride passed away in 2012...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 3,025,694 (as of June 10). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 14,205Burbank 24,798Canoga Park: 21,195Chatsworth: 10,180Encino: 11,640Granada Hills: 17,292Lake Balboa: 13,103Lake View Terrace: 4,816Mission Hills: 9,874North Hills: 21,022North Hollywood: 49,003Northridge: 20,596Pacoima: 33,197Panorama City: 28,151Porter Ranch: 8,175Reseda: 26,017Reseda Ranch: 1,489 San Fernando: 10,873Shadow Hills: 1,044Sherman Oaks: 22,277Studio City: 5,330Sunland: 5,437Sun Valley: 19,548Sylmar: 35,214Tarzana: 8,314Toluca Lake: 1,937Tujunga: 7,169Valley Glen: 9,302Valley Village: 6,636 Van Nuys: 31,720West Hills: 9,680Winnetka: 16,235Woodland Hills: 16,191 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,843,599 (as of April 8). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,605Burbank 22,283Canoga Park: 20,059Chatsworth: 9,271Encino: 10,285Granada Hills: 15,958Lake Balboa: 12,205Lake View Terrace: 4,594Mission Hills: 9,378North Hills: 19,958North Hollywood: 46,072Northridge: 19,018Pacoima: 32,021Panorama City: 27,006Porter Ranch: 7,164Reseda: 24,566Reseda Ranch: 1,406 San Fernando: 10,428Shadow Hills: 974Sherman Oaks: 18,726Studio City: 4,594Sunland: 5,075Sun Valley: 18,740Sylmar: 33,455Tarzana: 7,657Toluca Lake: 1,680Tujunga: 6,719Valley Glen: 8,738Valley Village: 5,941Van Nuys: 30,407West Hills: 8,696Winnetka: 15,267Woodland Hills: 14,475 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
LOS ANGELES (CNS) — A heat advisory will be in effect in parts of Los Angeles County from 11 a.m. Wednesday until 6 p.m. Friday, with temperatures expected to reach 100 degrees, according to the National Weather Service. The hottest temperatures are expected in the Santa Clarita, San Gabriel, and San Fernando Valleys. Temperatures are expected to reach 100 degrees in Pasadena, San Gabriel, and Pomona. In the Los Angeles County mountain areas, a high wind warning is in effect until 3 a.m. Wednesday. North winds are expected to reach between 25 mph and 40 mph with damaging gusts up...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,834,317 (as of April 1). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,592Burbank 22,153Canoga Park: 20,018Chatsworth: 9,253Encino: 10,241Granada Hills: 15,907Lake Balboa: 12,161Lake View Terrace: 4,578Mission Hills: 9,365North Hills: 19,909North Hollywood: 45,909Northridge: 18,953Pacoima: 31,975Panorama City: 26,959Porter Ranch: 7,133Reseda: 24,516Reseda Ranch: 1,402 San Fernando: 10,406Shadow Hills: 970Sherman Oaks: 18,506Studio City: 4,548Sunland: 5,061Sun Valley: 18,706Sylmar: 33,393Tarzana: 7,617Toluca Lake: 1,666Tujunga: 6,688Valley Glen: 8,706Valley Village: 5,901Van Nuys: 30,349West Hills: 8,665Winnetka: 15,226Woodland Hills: 14,411 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
The massive Sylmar mural “A Valley in Time” was completed today. Read the next edition of the San Fernando Valley Sun/ El Sol for more about the next artistic endeavors from the homegrown artists who turned a blighted space into art.
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – After several days of above-normal temperatures last week, the Southland will get a dose of badly needed rain today, with a storm arriving late Sunday night. A Pacific storm system moved closer to the region Sunday night and is expected to bring widespread rain, high elevation snow, and gusty winds through Tuesday morning, according to the National Weather Service. A chance of thunderstorms could bring heavy downpours and small hail in the afternoon and evening before drier conditions prevail late Tuesday through Friday, the NWS said. “The soaking rain, falling heavy at times, is likely...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,830,048 (as of March 26). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,580Burbank: 22,099Canoga Park: 19,998Chatsworth: 9,235Encino: 10,204Granada Hills: 15,884Lake Balboa: 12,144Lake View Terrace: 4,573Mission Hills: 9,356North Hills: 19,890North Hollywood: 45,834Northridge: 18,921Pacoima: 31,950Panorama City: 26,942Porter Ranch: 7,114Reseda: 24,479Reseda Ranch: 1,397 San Fernando: 10,395Shadow Hills: 967Sherman Oaks: 18,506Studio City: 4,516Sunland: 5,052Sun Valley: 18,690Sylmar: 33,347Tarzana: 7,597Toluca Lake: 1,663Tujunga: 6,677Valley Glen: 8,695Valley Village: 5,888Van Nuys: 30,325West Hills: 8,654Winnetka: 15,208Woodland Hills: 14,378 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,823,354 (as of March 19). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,576Burbank 22,027Canoga Park: 19,967Chatsworth: 9,229Encino: 10,150Granada Hills: 15,862Lake Balboa: 12,126Lake View Terrace: 4,565Mission Hills: 9,344North Hills: 19,876North Hollywood: 45,765Northridge: 18,883Pacoima: 31,926Panorama City: 26,905Porter Ranch: 7,087Reseda: 24,436Reseda Ranch: 1,397 San Fernando: 10,380Shadow Hills: 965Sherman Oaks: 18,428Studio City: 4,497Sunland: 5,044Sun Valley: 18,672Sylmar: 33,314Tarzana: 7,582Toluca Lake: 1,658Tujunga: 6,668Valley Glen: 8,683Valley Village: 5,860Van Nuys: 30,282West Hills: 8,640Winnetka: 15,185Woodland Hills: 14,341 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
By Chris Orestis For most people in their retirement years, every penny counts. But a huge number of those pennies can end up going to Uncle Sam, which is why it’s important for older Americans and their families to understand as much as they can about the tax liabilities people still face even when they are seniors. After all, while you need to pay taxes, there’s no reason to pay more than what you legitimately owe. Plus, it’s difficult to budget and know how much you have to live on if you’re at risk of suddenly facing a high tax...
WEST HILLS (CNS) — A woman who was killed by a drunk driver in West Hills has been identified today by county authorities. Carol Singer, 76, was identified as the victim in the fatal head-on collision, according to the Los Angeles County Coroner’s office. Singer, who was driving a 2003 Nissan, was taken to Northridge Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. The crash was reported on March 12 at around 6:15 a.m., in the area of 24045 Woolsey Canyon Road, near Valley Circle Boulevard, investigating California Highway Patrol Officer G. Alvarez said. The preliminary investigation determined that Nohemi Harrison of West...
The Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs (DCBA) reminds Los Angeles County tenants and landlords that COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance is available, and applications are open through March 31, 2022. Eligible tenants and landlords are urged to apply immediately. Applications will no longer be accepted after March 31, 2022. Recent data from the Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey estimates that hundreds of thousands of Los Angeles area tenants live in households that are behind on rent but have not applied for assistance. If these households do not receive help, many could lose their housing, worsening the region’s...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,811,864 (as of March 12). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,562Burbank 21,938Canoga Park: 19,936Chatsworth: 9,207Encino: 10,093Granada Hills: 15,821Lake Balboa: 12,099Lake View Terrace: 4,562Mission Hills: 9,326North Hills: 19,829North Hollywood: 45,681Northridge: 18,826Pacoima: 31,903Panorama City: 26,850Porter Ranch: 7,046Reseda: 24,413Reseda Ranch: 1,397 San Fernando: 10,372Shadow Hills: 960Sherman Oaks: 18,352Studio City: 4,476Sunland: 5,034Sun Valley: 18,647Sylmar: 33,245Tarzana: 7,535Toluca Lake: 1,654Tujunga: 6,648Valley Glen: 8,669Valley Village: 5,844Van Nuys: 30,207West Hills: 8,615Winnetka: 15,156Woodland Hills: 14,279 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
LOS ANGELES (CNS) — The team from North Hollywood High School has won the 30th Annual LADWP Regional Science Bowl and is headed to the National Science Bowl. During the virtual event held on March 6, the team demonstrated “a remarkable understanding of advanced science, math and technology concepts,” according to a Los Angeles Department of Water and Power press release. Team members will each receive the [post_excerpt],000 Hitachi Scholarship and the school will receive ,000 for their Science Department, the LADWP said. The team will also receive the Melinda Rho Memorial Trophy named in memory of the late LADWP...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The minimum wage in unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County will increase to .96 an hour as of July 1, the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs announced today. The rate marks a 6.4% increase over the current /hour minimum wage. The rate has risen steadily since 2016, when the county adopted a minimum wage ordinance that slowly increased the amount annually, reaching /hour on July 1, 2020, for large businesses and on July 1, 2021, for smaller businesses. Following the pre-determined increases, future hikes will be based on increases in the Bureau...
NORTH HILLS (CNS) — A man was killed early today when he was shot outside a strip club in the North Hills area of Los Angeles. The shooting occurred around 2 a.m. outside Synn Gentlemen’s Club in the 8300 block of Sepulveda Boulevard, said Los Angeles Police Department Officer Rosario Cervantes. A man got into an argument with another man outside the club, leading to the shooting, Cervantes said. The victim was taken by paramedics to a hospital, where he died, she said. He was not immediately identified, pending notification of relatives. According to reports from the scene, the victim...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,803,476 (as of March 5). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,552Burbank: 21,859Canoga Park: 19,907Chatsworth: 9,185Encino: 10,050Granada Hills: 15,787Lake Balboa: 12,081Lake View Terrace: 4,554Mission Hills: 9,309North Hills: 19,790North Hollywood: 45,569Northridge: 18,789Pacoima: 31,855Panorama City: 26,789Porter Ranch: 7,028Reseda: 24,369Reseda Ranch: 1,393 San Fernando: 10,363Shadow Hills: 957Sherman Oaks: 18,283Studio City: 4,426Sunland: 5,024Sun Valley: 18,616Sylmar: 33,190Tarzana: 7,513Toluca Lake: 1,650Tujunga: 6,630Valley Glen: 8,647Valley Village: 5,831Van Nuys: 30,126West Hills: 8,586Winnetka: 15,129Woodland Hills: 14,221 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
Several California community organizations are collectively launching a new campaign to increase participation in public and tax benefit programs from underserved communities. In a Zoom call on Feb. 24, organizations such as The Latino Media Collaborative, Central City Neighborhood Partners (CCNP), and Asian and Pacific Islander Forward Movement (APIFM) — under the coordination of the California Community Foundation (CCF) — have announced the Enroll LA Campaign, an initiative to reach out to underserved Angelinos with information about eligible resources they can take advantage of, such as CalFresh and the Child Tax Credit. “The California Community Foundation is honored to support...
By SFVS Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,761,159 (as of Feb. 13). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,419Burbank: 21,526Canoga Park: 19,670Chatsworth: 9,051Encino: 9,878Granada Hills: 15,544Lake Balboa: 11,953Lake View Terrace: 4,497Mission Hills: 9,219North Hills: 19,592North Hollywood: 44,994Northridge: 18,460Pacoima: 31,461Panorama City: 26,503Porter Ranch: 6,897Reseda: 24,063Reseda Ranch: 1,377 San Fernando: 10,244Shadow Hills: 949Sherman Oaks: 17,935Studio City: 4,267Sunland: 4,962Sun Valley: 18,424Sylmar: 32,792Tarzana: 7,395Toluca Lake: 1,627Tujunga: 6,532Valley Glen: 8,534Valley Village: 5,743Van Nuys: 29,792West Hills: 8,426Winnetka: 14,924Woodland Hills: 14,026 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
By CNS LOS ANGELES (CNS) – The Los Angeles Rams are going to have something the Dodgers and Lakers didn’t get — a victory parade. Rams Chief Operating Officer Kevin Demoff said Monday a Super Bowl victory parade will be held Wednesday, although a time has not yet been determined. Demoff said the parade will originate from the Shrine Auditorium and end a relatively short distance away at Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where a rally will be held in the peristyle-end plaza outside the stadium. The Rams played at the Coliseum from 2016-19 while SoFi Stadium was being built. ...
By CNS LOS ANGELES (CNS) – Despite indications the state was on the verge of lifting its mask-wearing requirement in schools, the state’s Health and Human Services secretary said today the requirement will remain in place for now, pending a Feb. 28 reassessment of COVID-19 case rates and other pandemic metrics. Dr. Mark Ghaly said a lifting of the mandate is inevitable, saying it is just “a question of when.” He expressed confidence that the mandate would be lifted after that Feb. 28 reassessment, barring another sudden spike in virus infection rates and hospitalizations. Ghaly gave a lengthy presentation...
By Martha Diaz Aszkenazy 25-Year-Old Ranger Spent His Life Connecting Angelenos to Wildlife at L.A. Zoo The Los Angeles Zoo’s animal care and veterinary teams made the difficult decision to euthanize a 25-year-old male American black bear Ranger yesterday due to his declining health and decreased quality of life. Rescued as a cub from the wild in Minnesota, Ranger came to the L.A. Zoo in 1997 from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.“This is truly a deep loss for our zoo community,” said Denise M. Verret, CEO & zoo director of the Los Angeles Zoo. “Since his arrival at...
By Saul Sandoval By Jessica Sims, MD, MPH, American Heart Association Volunteer Expert and Advocate Tobacco companies are at it again, and they are targeting our kids. Flavors like minty menthol, strawberry, grape and cotton candy are being used to hook our kids, leading to a lifetime of nicotine addiction. Why flavors? Because they mask the harshness of tobacco and make it easier to addict our children. The City of Los Angeles will have an opportunity to stop this vicious cycle of nicotine addiction when it decides on legislation to eliminate the sale of flavored tobacco products from the...
By Martha Diaz Aszkenazy By JOE REEDY The Super Bowl between the Los Angeles Rams and Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California, will as usual be the biggest day of sports broadcasting in the United States. But this year might be the biggest of them all since this is the first time the country’s biggest sporting event is happening at the same time as the Winter Olympics, one of the biggest events in the world. Here are some things to know about the game as well as Super Bowl-related programming on other networks: WHICH NETWORK...
LOS ANGELES (CNS) — Three members of an Encino-based fraud ring who went on the lam after being convicted of stealing more than million in COVID-19 relief loans have been captured in Montenegro, a senior law enforcement source told City News Service today. Ringleader Richard Ayvazyan, 43, and his wife and co-defendant Marietta Terabelian, 37, have been missing since Aug. 29. The Encino couple had been convicted at trial but were granted release to await sentencing. Tamara Dayan, 42, an Encino real estate broker, was sentenced in December to nearly 11 years in prison for her role in the...
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,782,953 (as of Feb. 20). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,491Burbank: 21,692Canoga Park: 19,783Chatsworth: 9,125Encino: 9,949Granada Hills: 15,660Lake Balboa: 12,026Lake View Terrace: 4,524Mission Hills: 9,271North Hills: 19,703North Hollywood: 45,274Northridge: 18,619Pacoima: 31,634Panorama City: 26,634Porter Ranch: 6,974Reseda: 24,210Reseda Ranch: 1,386 San Fernando: 10,311Shadow Hills: 958Sherman Oaks: 18,113Studio City: 4,365Sunland: 5,000Sun Valley: 18,540Sylmar: 33,001Tarzana: 7,460Toluca Lake: 1,637Tujunga: 6,573Valley Glen: 8,591Valley Village: 5,780Van Nuys: 29,973West Hills: 8,509Winnetka: 15,024Woodland Hills: 14,103 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
Health Department officials have listed the latest number of confirmed novel COVID-19 cases in Los Angeles County at 2,793,776 (as of Feb. 27). A breakdown of cases in Valley area cities and communities: Arleta: 13,526Burbank: 21,784Canoga Park: 19,587Chatsworth: 9,156Encino: 10,002Granada Hills: 15,660Lake Balboa: 12,058Lake View Terrace: 4,540Mission Hills: 9,291North Hills: 19,753North Hollywood: 45,419Northridge: 18,683Pacoima: 31,740Panorama City: 26,722Porter Ranch: 7,002Reseda: 24,304Reseda Ranch: 1,390 San Fernando: 10,345Shadow Hills: 959Sherman Oaks: 18,200Studio City: 4,399Sunland: 5,012Sun Valley: 18,583Sylmar: 33,106Tarzana: 7,493Toluca Lake: 1,641Tujunga: 6,605Valley Glen: 8,614Valley Village: 5,805Van Nuys: 30,062West Hills: 8,550Winnetka: 15,077Woodland Hills: 14,177 source: County of Los Angeles Public Health
By Gabriel Arizon Avocado prices are expected to spike in the US after exports of the fruit from Mexico were banned last Saturday following an official receiving a threatening phone call. The US placed a ban on the import of avocados from Michoacán, the only Mexican state authorized to export them to the country, after an inspector from the Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (USDA-APHIS) was threatened on his official cell phone. Officials did not elaborate further on the nature of the threat. “Facilitating the export of Mexican avocados to the US and ensuring the...