Category: Los Angeles

Former La Habra Police Department Chief Alan Hostetter, a prominent COVID-19 restrictions critic and activist, was released Tuesday from federal prison along with hundreds of other defendants convicted in the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol following President Donald Trump’s pardons. Hostetter, who has ties to San Clemente and last resided in Poolville, Texas, was released between midnight and 12:30 a.m. and picked up from the federal prison in Oakdale, Louisiana, his attorney Karren Kenney said. According to Kenney, Hostetter said it was not the last time the public would hear from him and that he added, “We are just getting started.” Hostetter was convicted in July 2023 in a non-jury bench trial before U.S. District Judge Royce C. Lamberth, who ruled he was guilty of conspiracy to obstruct an official proceeding, obstruction of an official proceeding, entering and remaining in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon and disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds with a deadly or dangerous weapon, according to court records. Lamberth sentenced Hostetter to 135 months in federal prison and

LOS ANGELES (KTLA) – In the wake of the deadly fires in Los Angeles County earlier this month, the board of supervisors on Tuesday tackled housing issues as protestors at the meeting made their demands known.   During the meeting, which was interrupted at points by activists with tenants’ unions who are concerned about evictions and demanding a rent freeze, voted unanimously to pass special safety provisions and relief measures in the rental market.   County leaders said they wanted to ensure that tenants with family members impacted by the fires can welcome them into their homes along with any pets they may have.   Short-term rental restrictions were also eased by the board of supervisors, which is expected to help provide more temporary housing for those impacted by the wildfires.   “We find in these situations that it’s all hands on deck,” L.A. County Supervisor Kathryn Barger told KTLA’s Chris Wolfe.  “I know one of my family members opened up part of their home to people who were displaced in Altadena. We have to make sure that we are as flexible as possible, recognizing

A man was arrested for allegedly starting a brush fire in San Bernardino County. Authorities identified the suspect as Eduardo Delapaz, 20, from Adelanto. On Monday at around 3:25 a.m., San Bernardino County deputies and fire crews responded to a brush fire near Verbena Road and Mojave Drive in Adelanto.  Delapaz was located at the scene where he was reportedly found with gasoline and a lighter that was used to start the fire, authorities said. He was arrested for arson and booked at the High Desert Detention Center where he is being held on $60,000 bail.  The incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information is asked to call Deputy E. Villeda at the Victor Valley Sheriff’s Station at 760-552-6800. Anonymous tips can be provided to We-Tip at 1-800-782-7463 or online at wetip.com.

Firefighters in Riverside County battled a wildfire that erupted in the Santa Ana river bottom Tuesday night, prompting evacuation warnings for residents in nearby homes. The Clay Fire, first reported at 5 p.m. near the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and Clay Street in Jurupa Valley, began as a two-acre vegetation fire. Moving at a slow rate of spread into heavy brush, the fire grew to nearly 40 acres, according to an alert from CalFire. Initially, flames that could be seen from the City of Riverside were not threatening any structures as the blaze burned parallel to nearby homes, but as it moved westward, several structures downwind were reportedly in danger, according to the wildfire tracking website Watch Duty.   Clay Fire evacuation warning zones (Genasys Protect) The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA) The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA) The Clay Fire in Riverside County seen from AlertCalifornia cameras on Jan. 21, 2025. The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA) The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA)

UCLA has hired a 27-year LAPD veteran and top commanding officer to lead its eight-month-old Office of Campus Safety created in the wake of a violent melee last spring at a pro-Palestinian encampment, which was among the university’s darkest chapters. LAPD Cmdr. Steve Lurie, who previously oversaw the department’s West Bureau, will begin his role as an associate vice chancellor on Feb. 1. He will replace Rick Braziel, the former Sacramento police chief who was hired in May by then-Chancellor Gene Block to be the university’s chief safety official in a new role that included responsibility for the UCLA Police Department, Office of Emergency Management and other safety initiatives. In announcing Lurie’s appointment Friday, UCLA Chancellor Julio Frenk said that Lurie’s “track record — combined with his leadership experience, firsthand knowledge of our campus and academic insights as an adjunct professor of law — make him uniquely qualified to lead UCLA’s efforts to strengthen and connect our campus safety initiative.” “He will take a community-informed, collaborative approach to campus safety that reflects the diverse experiences and perspectives of those who call UCLA home,” said Frenk

Although the worst of the Santa Ana winds appear to have passed, Southern California is not out of the woods yet when it comes to fire risk. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service extended its red flag warning for Los Angeles and Ventura counties until Thursday evening. That warning was initially scheduled to expire at 10 p.m. Tuesday as winds died down, but it has been kept in place due to the predicted return of gusty winds Wednesday. Winds will strengthen Wednesday afternoon, peak Thursday morning and subside that evening, according to the weather service. Extremely low humidity levels — below 10% — will continue to plague the region, creating a ready source of dry fuel for any potential fire to feed on. Forecasters warned that the red flag warning could be extended into Friday for some of the region’s most wind-prone areas. Still, the predicted winds pale in comparison to the 100-mph gusts recorded on Jan. 7 when the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires broke out. They are also expected to be more moderate than the strong winds that blew through the region on

Firefighters in Riverside County are battling a wildfire that erupted in a Santa Ana river bottom Monday night that’s threatening structures and has prompted an evacuation warning. The Clay Fire, which was first reported at 5 p.m. near the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and Clay Street in Jurupa Valley, began as a two-acre vegetation fire, though moved at a slow rate of spread into heavy brush and grew to nearly 40 acres, according to an alert from Cal Fire. Initially, the flames, which could be seen from the City of Riverside, were not threatening any structures as the blaze burned parallel to nearby homes, but as flames moved westward, several structures downwind were reportedly in danger, according to the wildfire tracking website Watch Duty.   Clay Fire evacuation warning zones (Genasys Protect) The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA) The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA) The Clay Fire in Riverside County seen from AlertCalifornia cameras on Jan. 21, 2025. The Clay Fire in Riverside County on Jan. 21, 2025. (KTLA) The Clay Fire in Riverside

Jurupa Valley fire crews are battling a brush fire in the Santa Ana River bottom after having extinguished a blaze in a similar location last week. The fire was reported at 2 acres at 5 p.m. Tuesday and grew to 38 acres by 7 p.m., according to the Cal Fire/Riverside County Fire Department and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Residents living south of Limonite Avenue between Van Buren Boulevard and Beach Street are warned to shelter in place and prepare for potential evacuation, said Maggie Cline De La Rosa, a spokesperson for the county Fire Department. On Jan. 13, crews responded to a similar brush fire in the Santa Ana River bottom, an area where there are homeless encampments. That fire broke out at 5 p.m., burned 2 acres and was contained by 7 p.m. Each fire has been dubbed the Clay fire and reported at Van Buren Avenue and Clay Street. Cline De La Rosa said this is the general address used to report fires in the riverbed but does not mean they are in the exact same location. The cause

The Times is building a community page for friends, family and fellow Angelenos to remember what we lost in the Eaton and Palisades fires. The fires ravaged communities and killed at least two dozen people. People lost homes. Cultural landmarks were destroyed. Livelihoods were upended. If you are in a safe area and would like to share a memory about things you lost in the fires, please fill out the form below. The Times will use your stories and photos of what was lost in a visual collection of memories to publish at a later date. Altadena and Pacific Palisades are home to vibrant, tight-knit communities. In the first days after the fires began, the outpouring of mutual aid and commitments to rebuild prove that the souls of these communities aren’t going anywhere. We want to amplify the voices and stories that make these neighborhoods and honor these experiences. We understand that some may not have the words to describe the impact of the wildfires yet, and that processing and healing is ever evolving and will take time. Here at The Times, we intend to

Although the worst of the Santa Ana winds appear to have passed, Southern California is not out of the woods yet when it comes to fire risk. On Tuesday, the National Weather Service extended its red flag warning for the region until Thursday evening. That warning was initially scheduled to expire at 10 p.m. Tuesday as winds died down, but it has been kept in place due to the predicted return of gusty winds Wednesday. Winds will strengthen Wednesday afternoon, peak Thursday morning and subside that evening, according to the weather service. Extremely low humidity levels — below 10% — will continue to plague the region, creating a ready source of dry fuel for any potential fire to feed on. Forecasters warned that the red flag warning could be extended into Friday for some of the region’s most wind-prone areas. Still, the predicted winds pale in comparison to the 100-mph gusts recorded on Jan. 7 when the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires broke out. They are also expected to be more moderate than the strong winds that blew through the region on Monday when a

Firefighters in Riverside County are battling a wildfire that erupted in a Santa Ana river bottom Tuesday night.   The Clay Fire, which was first reported at 5 p.m. near the intersection of Van Buren Boulevard and Clay Street in Jurupa Valley, began as a two-acre vegetation fire, though moved at a slow rate of spread into heavy brush and grew to nearly 40 acres, according to an alert from Cal Fire. Initially, the flames, which could be seen from the City of Riverside, were not threatening any structures as the blaze burned parallel to nearby homes, but as flames moved westward, several structures were reportedly in danger, according to the wildfire tracking website Watch Duty.   The Clay Fire in Riverside County seen from AlertCalifornia cameras on Jan. 21, 2025. So far, no evacuation orders or warnings have been issued.   Crews on the scene have requested at least 10 additional fire engines, dozers and a night flying helicopter for water drops as hand crews attempt to gain containment of the flames.   This developing story will be updated as additional details become available.

Thousands of residents across the Inland Empire say they’re frustrated as they continue living without electricity due to wildfire threats. On Tuesday, around 34,000 households are still waiting for power to be restored, with many residents saying they are struggling to live and work. “It’s never been this bad in the five years that I’ve been here,” said Edward Vuljak, a Jurupa Valley resident. According to Southern California Edison, power shutoffs typically occur “during dangerous weather conditions to prevent our electric system from becoming a source of ignition. These safety shutoffs are a measure of last resort for keeping you and your community safe.” Frustrated locals said they haven’t been notified of when power will be restored. Vuljak decided to fix the issue by hiring an electrician. “With an electrical box, he was adding a plug for us to go ahead and plug our generator which will run our house so we don’t have to lose our groceries and things like that,” he told KTLA’s Shelby Nelson. Generators that Edward Vuljak, a Jurupa Valley resident, is using to power his home after spending nearly two

Drug traffickers whose entire organized crime ring was brought down by a photo of a French Bulldog were ordered to fork over more than $1.4 million, the United Kingdom’s National Crime Agency said.  Stefan Baldauf, 64, and Philip Lawson 63, were drug traffickers nabbed in 2020 as part of Operation Venetic along with other members of their group for smuggling drugs from the United Kingdom to Australia. The traffickers sent 448kg of amphetamine  worth about $46 million in an arm of an excavator down under. The traffickers even rigged an auction to make sure the amphetamine went into the right hands. The drugs, which investigators said was MDMA, was first stored in the heavy equipment in an industrial unit in Grays, Essex, before being shipped to Australia. It took almost three months to arrive in Brisbane, the National Crime Agency said. The ruse, however, fell apart when fellow trafficker Danny Brown sent a photo of his French Bulldog, Bob, to Baldauf. A photo of Bob, the french bulldog, helped bring down an organized crime group. National Crime Agency Investigators were able to use the photo

The Los Angeles City Council Tuesday unanimously approved a $25,000 relief fund for northeast San Fernando Valley residents who lost income due to the multiple fires that devastated the region this month. Councilwoman Imelda Padilla, who authored the motion, called for financial assistance specifically for residents of her Sixth District, encompassing parts of Van Nuys, Panorama City, Arleta and North Hills, among other neighborhoods. Councilwoman Monica Rodriguez seconded the motion. Housekeepers, pool cleaners, gardeners, personal chefs, caretakers, drivers and other service workers will be able to apply for assistance. “A stark reminder that our local economy is interconnected, means a disaster in one part of the city still affects the most vulnerable in others,” the motion reads. “… Failing to support this critical sector can lead to CD6 residents being unable to pay for expenses that can lead to homelessness, evictions or food insecurity.” The city will partner with Initiating Change in Our Neighborhoods Community Development Corporation, also known as ICON CDC, which operates the Los Angeles Business Source Centers of North and South valley regions. Applications are now open and available at iconcdc.org/la-wildfire-relief. Applicants

An Inland Empire lawmaker introduced legislation Tuesday that he says would immediately amend the state’s regulatory apparatus to eliminate “bureaucratic” stumbling blocks that get in the way of fighting wildfires. “Los Angeles is experiencing a historically destructive wildfire as a result of decades of failed policies and leadership,” Assemblyman Bill Essayli, R-Norco, said. “In addition to funding recovery efforts, we must enact significant policy reforms to protect against predictable, preventable wildfires. My wildfire legislative package will exempt all wildfire prevention projects, controlled burns and the under-grounding of utility power lines from bureaucratic environmental red tape.” Essayli, with support from Assembly Republican Leader James Gallagher of Chico, submitted ABX 1-7, which would remove all wildfire prevention projects from California Environmental Quality Act standards. He additionally introduced ABX 1-8, which would permit controlled burns anytime to wipe out overgrowth and excess vegetation, without running afoul of California Air Resources Board prohibitions dealing with smoke, as well as ABX 1-9 to permit placing electrical transmission lines underground with automatic CEQA exemptions. “If California doesn’t want to see another ZIP code get wiped off the map by a devastating

The smoldering remains of a neighborhood around Rubio Canyon and Alta Loma Drive in Altadena that was devastated by the Eaton fire. (G L Askew II) The Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has promised to increase patrols in Altadena to combat looting as residents begin to head back to their homes nearly two weeks after the Eaton fire swept through the region. The newly formed Looter Suppression Team will provide more surveillance and a quicker response time to Altadena neigborhoods evacuated during the fire but potentially left unsecured by residents, the Sheriff’s Department announced Tuesday. The team will join other sheriff’s deputies in the field along with helicopter coverage. “Together, these efforts ensure continuous 24-hour patrolling to provide a consistent and visible law enforcement presence, particularly in neighborhoods still dealing with utility outages and heightened security risks,” the Sheriff’s Department said in a news release. Several arrests were made during the Eaton and Palisades fires over the last few days, including two people caught impersonating reporters, a couple from Oregon allegedly using a decommissioned firetruck to pose as firefighters, and a burglary suspect in the

Elon Musk, the world’s richest man and a top aide to President Trump, drew and quickly dismissed a raft of condemnation from Democratic lawmakers, left-wing politicians abroad and others across the internet after twice making what to some looked like a Nazi salute from an inauguration stage. Musk — who has endorsed antisemitic remarks and aligned himself with far-right factions, including the Alternative for Germany in that country — made the gestures during a giddy speech celebrating Trump’s return to power at an indoor rally Monday at Capital One Arena in Washington. “I just want to say thank you for making it happen. Thank you,” Musk said to the crowd. He slapped his chest with his right hand and then shot that hand out and up, open and flat and palm down, with his right arm rigidly extended. He then turned and made a similar gesture in the opposite direction. “My heart goes out to you,” he said. Some defended Musk. The Anti-Defamation League, which works against antisemitism, offered Musk a pass with a post on X — a platform Musk owns. “It seems [Musk]

By Kiki Intarasuwan January 21, 2025 / 8:45 PM EST / CBS News Four men have been arrested for allegedly breaking into Bengals quarterback Joe Burrow ‘s home in Ohio last month, authorities said Tuesday. They each are facing several charges, including participating in a criminal gang and possessing criminal tools, according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost.  Bastian Morales, 23, Jordan Sanchez, 22, Sergio Cabello, 38, and Alexander Chavez, 24, all of whom are from Chile, are accused in a string of burglaries targeting multimillion-dollar homes. The men were taken into custody on Jan. 10 after they were pulled over by police, who then found punch tools, which investigators say are used to break windows on houses, according to affidavits filed in Clark County.  Sanchez, who was driving when they were pulled over, Morales and Cabello gave Ohio State Highway Patrol officers fake IDs, police said. Sanchez also did not have a valid driver’s license, according to the affidavit. Chavez was the only one with a real driver’s license, which was from New York, the affidavits said. According to the affidavits, they told officers

What Trump’s executive orders mean for the fight against climate change – CBS News Watch CBS News On his first day in office, President Trump signed a slew of executive orders promoting fossil fuels and ending many of the Biden administration’s efforts to combat climate change. CBS News national environmental correspondent David Schechter joins “America Decides” to explain what Trump’s actions could mean for the planet. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Trump’s return to power looming over World Economic Forum – CBS News Watch CBS News Leaders from around the globe are currently gathering in Davos, Switzerland, for the World Economic Forum’s annual multi-day meeting as newly-inaugurated President Trump is beginning his second term. Ravi Agrawal, editor-in-chief of Foreign Policy magazine, joins “America Decides” from Davos to discuss how Trump is looming large over world leaders’ talks. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Updated on: January 21, 2025 / 8:18 PM EST / CBS/AP Dangerous Journey on the Silk Road The FBI Declassified: Dangerous Journey on the Silk Road 43:25 President Donald Trump announced Tuesday that he has pardoned Ross Ulbricht , the founder of Silk Road, an underground website that the FBI once called “the most sophisticated and extensive criminal marketplace on the internet.”  Ulbricht was  sentenced to life in prison in 2015. Mr. Trump posted on Truth Social, his social media site, that he had spoken to Ulbricht’s mother on his first full day in office. “It was my pleasure to have just signed a full and unconditional pardon of her son, Ross,” he wrote. “The scum that worked to convict him were some of the same lunatics who were involved in the modern day weaponization of government against me.” He called Ulbricht’s prison sentence “ridiculous.” During the campaign, he had promised to help Ulbricht in a speech at the Libertarian Party National Convention last May. Libertarian activists, who generally oppose criminal drug policies, have long believed that government investigators overreached in building their case against