Category: Los Angeles

Book Review Playworld By Adam RossKnopf: 528 pages, $29If you buy books linked on our site, The Times may earn a commission from Bookshop.org, whose fees support independent bookstores. Adam Ross’ extraordinary second novel, “Playworld,” is a beguiling ode to a lost era, one that predates helicopter parenting, cellphones and perhaps even cynicism. It is set primarily over the course of one year during which prep school freshman Griffin Hurt undergoes a sentimental education like no other. Among the initiating events: “In the fall of 1980, when I was fourteen,” Griffin recalls, “a friend of my parents’ named Naomi Shah fell in love with me. She was thirty-six, a mother of two, and married to a wealthy man.” (Knopf) Griffin narrates the novel as an adult recalling this seminal period in his coming of age with a sort of bemused irony, so that even shocking events — the aforementioned affair, muggings, a fire that burns down their apartment and kills their cat, even repeated sexual abuse at the hands of Griffin’s wrestling coach, Mr. Kepplemen — are cast in a gauzy haze. We really don’t

The man behind method acting – CBS News Watch CBS News 50 years ago, “The Godfather Part II” was playing in theaters nationwide. The film catapulted Lee Strasberg, whose namesake form of acting preparation was used by some of the film’s leads, to stardom. Dozens of the entertainment industry’s biggest stars have trained at his institute, learning the techniques of method acting. Michelle Miller went behind the scenes to learn more about “The Method Man.” Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

The fight to protect a reindeer species – CBS News Watch CBS News Reindeer — known as caribou in the U.S. — are a staple of the holiday season, but one species of the animal isn’t having a merry December. There aren’t enough females for a new generation, and a fire almost wiped out a breeding facility in Canada. Here’s what’s being done to help the species recover, and how that can help maintain a healthy ecosystem. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

The young dancers behind a holiday classic The young dancers bringing a holiday classic to life 04:09 “The Nutcracker” at the New York City Ballet is a holiday classic that draws thousands to Lincoln Center each year.  The company has been performing George Balanchine’s ballet every year since 1954. The show takes audiences from the grandeur of a sparkling Christmas party to the dreamworld of a young girl guided by a nutcracker-turned-prince. For young dancers, “The Prince” is a coveted role. Hannon Hachett, 10, and Finlay McCurdy-Van Alstine, 11, are the dancers sharing the beloved part this year. The two are living their dream — and having plenty of fun while doing so. Both began dancing when they were around three years old. Finlay said he can’t even remember what drew him to the art form. Hannon Hachett (left) and Finlay McCurdy-Van Alstine (right). CBS Saturday Morning “I think I liked all of my energy being used to do something fun, because I had a lot of energy,” Finlay said.  Now, that energy is on display when each boy performs. They enjoy giving the classic

Springfield’s Haitian community reacts to Trump’s mass deportation threats – CBS News Watch CBS News President-elect Donald Trump made the promise of mass deportations a pillar of his re-election bid. He’s pledged to deport millions of immigrants — including some who are living in the United States legally. In Springfield, Ohio, the city whose Haitian immigrant community became the epicenter of hateful rhetoric and misinformation during the campaign, many fear what this could mean for them. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

A woman flying from Los Angeles to Philadelphia wound up on the TSA’s naughty list after an officer discovered a trove of almost 90 forbidden items inside her carry-on. A Transportation Security Administration officer flagged the woman’s bag during a routine X-ray screening at Los Angeles International Airport on Sunday after noticing what appeared to be several prohibited items, officials said in a statement. The officer opened the bag in front of the passenger and was shocked to see what was inside: 82 fireworks, three knives, two replica firearms and a canister of pepper spray — none of which are allowed in carry-on luggage. Although TSA officers are used to sometimes seeing bizarre items inside passenger luggage, officials in a news release said this discovery surprised even the most-tenured officer. “The sheer number of prohibited items discovered in a single carry-on bag is extremely concerning,” LAX TSA Federal Security Director Jason Pantages said in a statement. “Let this incident serve as a reminder to all travelers to double-check the contents of your bag prior to coming to the airport.” The TSA officer contacted Los Angeles

The Uplift: A weather wonder – CBS News Watch CBS News A 22-year-old forecasting the weather out of his bedroom is praised for helping people during natural disasters – and gets a big surprise from David Begnaud. And Santa comes early to two U.S. cities to bring Christmas magic to children in need. Plus, more uplifting news. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Eye on America: An inside look at human smuggling, and EV crash concerns – CBS News Watch CBS News In California, we speak to an anthropologist whose new book offers firsthand accounts from human smugglers helping people cross into the U.S. illegally. And in Nebraska, we hear from experts raising the alarm that road barricades aren’t strong enough against heavier electric vehicles. Watch these stories and more on “Eye on America” with host Michelle Miller. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Reporting from TWENTYNINE PALMS Marine Corps base, Calif. —  The two tiny tortoises emerged from their burrows as soon as they detected Brian Henen’s footsteps, eager for the handfuls of bok choy and snap peas that would soon be tossed their way. It will be a few years before the tortoises, roughly the size of playing cards, have shells tough enough to avoid becoming prey for the ravens soaring above. So for now, they live with roughly 1,000 others of their species in a sheltered habitat ringed by barbed wire and draped in netting. The elaborate setup on the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center is designed to protect the tortoises not only from ravens, coyotes and other predators, but from rumbling tanks, live explosives and anything else that might put them in harm’s way at the 1,189-square-mile Mojave Desert base. The Tortoise Research and Captive Rearing Site raises vulnerable tortoises on the vast Marine Corps base. “The desert tortoise is considered a keystone species, which means that they have a disproportionate effect on the entire ecosystem,” says Henen, a civilian who heads the conservation branch

Early one morning in Westlake, as neighborhood children walked to school, I spotted a woman heading in my direction. She was holding the hand of a little girl who wore a mask, carefully leading her around three people who were sprawled on the pavement. They were walking on Bonnie Brae Street, a couple blocks east of MacArthur Park, where it’s not uncommon to see people who are either asleep or passed out, with syringes and needles scattered about. Steve Lopez Steve Lopez is a California native who has been a Los Angeles Times columnist since 2001. He has won more than a dozen national journalism awards and is a four-time Pulitzer finalist. Eduardo Aguirre, the girl’s father, was hustling up behind his family and called my name. I had toured the neighborhood with him one night in September, taking inventory of broken streetlights, a torched playground in the park and countless other problems that have battered Westlake for years. The Aguirres generally don’t let their 6-year-old daughter use the park, even though for them and thousands of other apartment dwellers, it’s the most conveniently located

Two 23-year-old Southern California men have been indicted for allegedly defrauding investors out of more than $22 million in cryptocurrency, according to authorities. Gabriel Hay of Beverly Hills and Gavin Mayo of Thousand Oaks are accused of collecting investments for nonfungible tokens, or NFTs, and digital asset projects with no intention of sticking around to see those efforts realized, prosecutors said. The U.S. attorney’s office says that from May 2021 to May 2024, they and an unnamed co-conspirator collected $22.4 million from multiple “rug pull” schemes — in which a token or project creator collects investor funds, but then abandons the project while keeping the money. The indictment alleges Hay and Mayo falsely claimed one NFT project, called Vault of Gems, would be the first “to be pegged to a hard asset,” telling investors that the project would work with jewelers around the world and had “already started making [its] own exchange” for jewelry retailers to use. “What’s happening?” asked a November 2021 post by the Vault of Gems X account. Confusion and frustration followed in the replies, which included the allegation that Hay and

SAN FRANCISCO —  On a recent Sunday on the far edge of the Outer Sunset, a cozy oceanfront neighborhood with rows of pastel bungalows, hundreds of people enjoyed a stretch of the iconic coastal road known as the Great Highway. A dad taught his kid how to ride a bike. A young couple strolled with their baby in a bassinet. Two surfers hauled their boards toward the crashing Pacific waves. A day later, the same swath of asphalt was covered with cars, transformed back into a commuter route for thousands of drivers who use the Great Highway to get to work, the airport, school or other parts of town. This two-mile stretch, known as the Upper Great Highway — which starts at the tip of Golden Gate Park and runs south along Ocean Beach — has become a political traffic jam in recent years, with locals clashing over how best to use the historic avenue as coastal erosion and sea level rise threaten its future. Division over the Upper Great Highway’s fate adds to an ongoing debate between so-called urbanists who want to see the city

An Arcadia City Council member is the fiancée of a man charged by federal prosecutors this week with acting as an illegal agent for the Chinese government by attempting to influence local politicians, according to court records and interviews. The personal relationship between Eileen Wang, elected two years ago to the council of the San Gabriel Valley suburb, and Yaoning “Mike” Sun deepens questions around what Wang knew about an alleged plot to push pro-China policies, particularly regarding Taiwan. In the criminal complaint against Sun, prosecutors referred to a local politician, “Individual 1,” alleging that Sun and his Chinese government contacts were cultivating the politician in hopes that she would rise in politics and help them strengthen China’s influence in California. Two sources familiar with the investigation identified Wang as Individual 1. The complaint described Sun as Individual 1’s campaign manager and business partner and said the address Sun had registered with the DMV was a home owned by Individual 1. Prosecutors have not charged Wang with a crime. A source familiar with the case, who spoke to The Times on the condition of anonymity

The San Luis Obispo Creek flooded Higuera Street back in January 2023. The city is now preparing for its largest flood-reduction project yet. KSBYs Eduardo Huijon Jr. found out how the upcoming project will increase the creeks capacity and reduce the risk of flooding in the area. Brian Nelson, the deputy director of public works for the city, says there have been three to four floods in the city over the last 50 years. Nelson says the Mid-Higuera Bypass Project came out of the citys Water Management Plan and looked at ways to mitigate flooding in the San Luis Obispo Creek watershed. It started with 2003 in the Waterway Management Plan, said Nelson. But it’s really got going over the last five to 10 years. We received a $6 million Department of Water Resources grant. The city’s appropriated local revenue measure funds to support the work. According to Nelson, the total cost of the project is $13 million. It will increase the creeks capacity by 40% during a 25-year storm event and reduce floodwater surface elevation by 6 to 18 inches. The city plans to

On December 2, Santa Barbara County joined the rest of the state in implementing the CARE Act, a court-based program aimed at addressing homelessness and undiagnosed schizophrenia spectrum disorders with community-based care. “I think everyone needs to feel hope and to know that there is someone that they have in their court, someone that’s paying attention to them and vying for them to get the help and the support that they need,” said Suzanne Grimmesey, Santa Barbara County Department of Behavioral Wellness. Data from the National Alliance on Mental Illness shows less than one percent of the U.S. population is diagnosed with schizophrenia. “But for those who have that diagnosis, the need is significant,” Grimmesey said. In Santa Barbara, 30% of homeless people have a serious mental health condition according to the county, of which a small fraction might have a disorder on the schizophrenia spectrum. “Even for those that are not eligible through the petition process, it will help to create bridges to our department and allow us to engage people in services and hopefully get more people the help that they need,” Grimmesey said.

A man and a woman were fatally shot in Altadena Friday evening. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department deputies responded to the 700 block of West Sacramento Street, near Casitas Avenue, at 8:04 p.m. Friday regarding reports of a shooting and found the victims, the Sheriff’s Information Bureau said. The victims were pronounced dead at the scene. Anyone with information about the shootings was asked to encouraged to call the Sheriff’s Homicide Bureau at 323-890-5500. Callers who wish to remain anonymous may call Crime Stoppers at 800-222-8477 or send tips to visit lacrimestoppers.org.

The numbers in Friday evening’s draw of the multi-state Mega Millions lottery are 2, 20, 51, 56, 67 and the Mega number is 19. The estimated jackpot is $862 million, the seventh largest jackpot in the history of the game and 12th largest in U.S. history. There have been five Powerball drawings with larger jackpots, according to the Multi-State Lottery Association, which conducts the game The drawing was the 29th since the last time a ticket with all six numbers was sold. The odds of matching all five numbers and the Mega number is 1 in 302,575,350, according to the California Lottery. The overall chance of winning a prize is 1 in 24. The Mega Millions game began in 1996 as The Big Game and was given the new name Mega Millions in 2002. The Mega Millions game is played in 45 states, the District of Columbia and U.S. Virgin Islands.

Residents are frightened and angry as a group of suspects continue ransacking San Fernando Valley homes, leaving a trail of destruction behind. A Valley Village resident said she was stunned and shaken up after thieves targeted her home on Dec. 17 between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The break-in was captured on home surveillance cameras as a male suspect approached the house and appeared to be disguised as a delivery man. “Ten minutes after we left [our home], someone was knocking at the door and our dog was barking away,” she said. “Then within a minute, someone had broken into the back of the house, smashed the glass door, came in and locked the dog in a room and just trashed the house. They took all of my jewelry.” Photos of the aftermath showed drawers in every room were removed and emptied and all of the woman’s belongings were thrown across the floor in heaping piles. “It was very frightening and very scary,” the homeowner, who did not want to be identified, told KTLA’s Angeli Kakade. A burglar is heard yelling, “Shut up bi*ch! I’m

Cuando el papa salió del Vaticano a principios de mes para su tradicional salida navideña por el centro, vio de lo que muchos romanos llevaban meses quejándose: sus grandes planes para el Año Santo han convertido su ciudad en un enorme solar en construcción, con obras que obstruyen el tráfico y destrozan las principales arterias, andamios cubriendo preciados monumentos y alquileres vacacionales copando los bloques de apartamentos. El pontífice argentino instó a los romanos a rezar por su alcalde — “Tiene mucho que hacer” — pero también a recibir el próximo Jubileo como un tiempo de reparación y renovación espiritual. “Estas obras están bien, pero cuidado: ¡No olviden las obras del alma!”, dijo. La próxima semana, cuando inaugure formalmente el Año Santo, el papa dará comienzo a un vertiginoso calendario de 12 meses de actos que incluyen Misas del Jubileo especiales para los fieles de todos los ámbitos de la vida: artistas, adolescentes, migrantes, profesores y presos. Y aunque el inicio oficial del Año Santo supone que lo peor de las obras está llegando a su fin, la llegada de los 32 millones de peregrinos

PLEASANT GROVE, Utah (KTVX) — After more than a decade, one Utah County family has been reunited with their long-lost cat. Laura and Cole Christensen told Nexstar’s KTVX they adopted Mischa, a beautiful gray Russian Blue, 11 years ago, shortly after they built their first home near Orem. The home was built near some wetlands and they knew they would need a cat to deal with the mice. North Hollywood family’s dog stolen from backyard “When you have mice, you get a cat,” said Laura. “So we found her [online] and then went and picked her up, and brought her home.” But after having Mischa for just a few weeks, their beloved feline took an opportunity to bolt out of their backdoor, and the Christensens thought their cat was gone forever. “We did look,” explained Laura. “She was chipped. So we thought maybe we would get a call and say, ‘Hey, somebody has turned in your cat.’ Or one of the neighbors would say, ‘Hey, I saw your cat.’ And never. Not a word.” Photos show Mischa, the Russian Blue cat that had gone missing

Residents are frightened and angry as a group of suspects continue ransacking San Fernando Valley homes, leaving a trail of destruction behind. A Valley Village resident said she was stunned and shaken up after thieves targeted her home on Dec. 17 between 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. The break-in was captured on home surveillance cameras as a male suspect approached the house and appeared to be disguised as a delivery man. “Ten minutes after we left [our home], someone was knocking at the door and our dog was barking away,” she said. “Then within a minute, someone had broken into the back of the house, smashed the glass door, came in and locked the dog in a room and just trashed the house. They took all of my jewelry.” Photos of the aftermath showed drawers in every room were removed and emptied and all of the woman’s belongings were thrown across the floor in heaping piles. “It was very frightening and very scary,” the homeowner, who did not want to be identified, told KTLA’s Angeli Kakade. A burglar is heard yelling, “Shut up bi*ch! I’m