Jim Beard, longtime keyboardist for Steely Dan, dies at 63

Keyboardist Jim Beard, who spent more than a decade of his life playing for rock group Steely Dan, has died. The band, formed by Walter Becker and Donald Fagen, confirmed Beard’s death in a brief statement shared on its website on Wednesday. “It is with great sadness that we announce the loss of our friend and colleague,” the “Reelin’ in the Years” and “Do It Again” band wrote. (Becker died in 2017.) A representative for Beard said he died Saturday in a New York City hospital after complications due to a sudden illness, according to multiple reports. Beard, who reportedly was surrounded by loved ones at the time of his death, was 63. Beard, also a composer and producer, had collaborated with Steely Dan since the early aughts, bringing his music to releases including its 2003 album, “Everything Must Go.” His career also featured collaborations with “some of the greatest names in music,” including guitarist Pat Metheny, Wayne Shorter and John McLaughlin, according to his website’s biography. Bandleader Dizzy Gillespie, jazz duo Brecker Brothers and singer Dianne Reeves also were among Beard’s collaborators. Beard’s passion

How to date better in Los Angeles, land of the flirts and the fakes

How to date better in Los Angeles, land of the flirts and the fakes (Rinee Shah / For The Times) Dating in Los Angeles can be messy. In “Date Cute,” we’ll explore common dating problems and provide tips on how to date better. To say it’s difficult to date in Los Angeles is almost like saying the traffic is bad. Yes, we know! But what if dating didn’t have to feel so debilitating? What if we could create the healthy and fun dating life that we crave so badly? One that would make us excited about the possibility of love and romance? This ongoing series will explore how to approach everything from dating apps and attachments styles to situationships and ghosting. Let’s get back out there. If you have a suggestion for an upcoming story, email kailyn.brown@latimes.com. Get our L.A. Goes Out newsletter, with the week’s best events, to help you explore and experience our city. You may occasionally receive promotional content from the Los Angeles Times. Kailyn Brown is a lifestyle reporter for the Los Angeles Times. Previously, she worked as a staff writer

Editorial: What L.A. County voters need to hear from D.A. George Gascón before November

To put the best face on Dist. Atty. George Gascón’s poor showing in Tuesday’s election, he’s where he wanted and expected to be. Ballots are still being counted, but first-day returns show him with just over 20% of the vote and headed into a November showdown with former federal prosecutor Nathan Hochman. Hochman was soundly defeated for state attorney general two years ago when he challenged incumbent Rob Bonta. In that partisan race, Hochman ran as a Republican. He’s now independent, but even ex-Republican candidates in nonpartisan races have an uphill battle in liberal Los Angeles County. In November, many of the younger, more progressive voters who didn’t turn out this week are, history suggests, more likely to show up. But Gascón should also know that reelection will be no easy walk, even if he is a Democrat, as his campaign materials note. The primary results illustrate that Los Angeles voters are deeply worried about crime, even though violent crime is down sharply after the nationwide spike during the pandemic. Property crime gets a lot of attention, but in fact it has mostly held steady

Verdict reached in trial of “Rust” armorer

U.S. By Emily Mae Czachor Updated on: March 6, 2024 / 6:15 PM EST / CBS News CBS News Live CBS News Live Live The weapons supervisor on the set of “Rust” who was accused of loading the prop gun that Alec Baldwin used to accidentally shoot and kill cinematographer Halyna Hutchins  has been found guilty of involuntary manslaughter. She was acquitted on a charge of evidence tampering. Hannah Gutierrez-Reed had pleaded not guilty to charges of involuntary manslaughter and evidence tampering . Baldwin, who was pointing the gun at Hutchins when it went off, has also pleaded not guilty to a charge of involuntary manslaughter. The film’s director, Joel Souza , was also injured in the incident. Souza testified in Gutierrez-Reed’s trial, speaking emotionally about the incident. Much of the trial focused on the source of six live bullets that were found on the set of “Rust,” including the one fired from the prop gun that Baldwin was holding. Both Hutchins and Souza were struck by the live bullet, which had somehow been loaded into the prop gun. The production was only supposed to

Americans living further from offices with remote work, study shows

Americans living further from offices with remote work, study shows – CBS News Watch CBS News A recent study finds Americans are choosing to live further from their offices, embracing remote work and more retired living over classic office work models. Emma Goldberg, a business reporter for the New York Times, joins CBS News with a look at the data. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Breaking down Super Tuesday 2024 by the numbers

Breaking down Super Tuesday 2024 by the numbers – CBS News Watch CBS News Both President Biden and former President Donald Trump are closing in on the required delegate count to secure their parties’ 2024 nominations. CBS News executive director of elections and surveys Anthony Salvanto joins “America Decides” to analyze Super Tuesday’s results and what they say about a Biden-Trump rematch. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

What to expect from Biden’s 2024 State of the Union speech

What to expect from Biden’s 2024 State of the Union speech – CBS News Watch CBS News President Biden’s 2024 State of the Union address could be an opportunity for him to make his case to voters heading into the November general election. Tom Perez, senior adviser and assistant to the president, joins “America Decides” to discuss. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Here’s a cool new way to invest in the music biz

Want to be a player in the music industry? Here’s a way to get your start. A startup called JKBX (pronounced “jukebox”) is selling securities backed by the royalty streams of songs by the likes of Beyonce, Taylor Swift and Adele. This is possible because those who own the rights to dozens of songs — most notably rights sold in 2021 by pop producer Ryan Tedder — are being commodified as financial products. “It is both a financial product and a fan product,” JKBX CEO Scott Cohen told the Wall Street Journal. The way it works is you can go to the JKBX website, search available tunes and then buy a small piece of the action for nearly $7 a share. When royalties are issued for the song, you get a modest payoff. Among songs available are Beyonce’s “Halo” and “Rumour Has It” by Adele. Taylor Swift’s “Welcome to New York” is among the offerings because it was co-written by Tedder, who sold his rights to the royalties. Tay-Tay is hanging on to hers. What makes this fun is that if you buy into any

Rideshare driver fatally struck Costa Mesa woman, then fled: police

An Ontario rideshare driver has been arrested after a woman was struck by a hit-and-run vehicle in Costa Mesa and died two days later. The woman, whose identity has not been released, was struck at about 12:25 a.m. Sunday at the intersection of Newport and Harbor boulevards, the Costa Mesa Police Department said in a news release. The 47-year-old, whose last known address is in Costa Mesa, sustained a life-threatening head injury and was taken to a local hospital, where she succumbed to her injuries on Tuesday. Investigators discovered that the vehicle that hit the woman was operating as a rideshare vehicle, and also on Tuesday, police arrested 43-year-old Thomas Loranze Henry of Ontario, police said. He faces charges of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run, authorities said. According to a CMPD spokesperson, Henry is in custody at the Orange County Jail and is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. If he does not make bail, Henry could be in court as soon as Thursday.

Hidden Valley Ranch, Cheez-It join forces to create Cheezy Ranch

Hidden Valley Ranch has announced a slew of new flavors, including a new cheesy option in partnership with Cheez-It. Cheezy Ranch, a collaboration between Hidden Valley and Cheez-It, was announced Wednesday just in time for National Ranch Day on March 10. Hidden Valley Ranch and Cheez-It join forces to create the cheeziest ranch yet. (Hidden Valley Ranch) Cheezy Ranch is made with 100% real cheese and the “zesty” flavor of ranch and delivers a “rich and savory flavor experience,” a news release said. “Hidden Valley Ranch and Cheez-It fans share the same obsession with our delicious food, so bringing them together made perfect sense,” Cara Tragseiler, senior brand director for Cheez-It, said in a news release. Taco Bell and Tajin collaborate on new menu items that’s only available at 1 location “For the first time ever, our fans can drizzle the cheezy deliciousness they know and love on just about anything! That’s why we’re so excited to partner with Hidden Valley Ranch to bring this craveable, cheezy combo to all kinds of snacks.” The new condiment will be available at Walmart and Kroger grocery stores

Protesters calling for a cease-fire in Gaza abruptly ended Adam Schiff’s victory party

More than two dozen protesters shouting out calls for a cease-fire in the Gaza Strip abruptly ended Rep. Adam B. Schiff’s victory speech at an election night party in Hollywood on Tuesday night. Early results showed Schiff (D-Burbank) leading the primary for the U.S. Senate seat formerly held by the late Sen. Dianne Feinstein, setting up a face-off in November with Republican and retired Dodgers star Steve Garvey. With a healthy lead in early returns, Schiff took the stage at Hollywood’s Avalon Theater around 9:45 p.m. Tuesday to speak to a gathering of campaign workers and other supporters. About two minutes into his victory speech, he was interrupted by a group of protesters who pushed toward the stage, shouting, “cease-fire now” and “Let Gaza live!” Security guards tried in vain to remove the protesters from the crowd. About a minute into the chanting, Schiff said over the noise, “We are so lucky, so lucky, to live in a democracy where we all have a right to protest.” As the protesters pushed closer to the stage, a campaign staffer and a security guard gestured for Schiff

Calmes: It’s State of the Union time. Will Biden blow it?

Wishful thinkers in both parties, and pundits too, have mused about a State of the Union address on Thursday in which President Biden looks serenely into the TV cameras and closes with an LBJ-like shocker: an announcement that he will neither seek nor accept his party’s nomination for a second term. That won’t happen, and it shouldn’t. Back here in reality, the way to watch Biden’s address is as the antithesis of Lyndon B. Johnson’s speech about Vietnam with its surprise ending, on another March night more than a half-century ago, amid the tumult of 1968. The current president is writing a very different ending for his term. Opinion Columnist Jackie Calmes Jackie Calmes brings a critical eye to the national political scene. She has decades of experience covering the White House and Congress. Biden, unlike the beleaguered Johnson, will not be pressured to retire. He is stubbornly wedded to the conviction that, to borrow from his rival’s bluster, he alone can do it — beat Donald Trump, that is. (Forget that Biden once quipped that “probably 50” Democrats could win.) And that he deserves

Lythgoe calls Abdul lawsuit ‘worst form of character assassination’ as another accuser surfaces

Nigel Lythgoe has been hit with another sexual assault lawsuit just as he filed his official response denying Paula Abdul’s bombshell allegations made in her December case. The latest lawsuit — filed Tuesday in Los Angeles Superior Court by the same attorneys representing the “Opposites Attract” singer and another Lythgoe accuser in a pending lawsuit — alleges that the embattled “So You Think You Can Dance” and “American Idol” producer sexually assaulted a longtime professional colleague at his home in Bel-Air during a business meeting in 2018. The redacted complaint, posted on the website of the law firm Johnson & Johnson LLP, accuses the 74-year-old producer of sexual assault and battery, gender violence, sexual harassment, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The accuser, identified anonymously as Jane Doe, alleges that Lythgoe “forced Jane Doe against an exterior wall of the property and then [started] licking her neck, touching her genitalia, and [groping] her all over.” “Jane Doe did not consent to this attack and left Mr. Lythgoe’s residence in such a state of shock that she could not drive herself home for nearly thirty minutes,”

Column: Schiff cheapened himself with his cynical effort to help Garvey in Senate primary

SACRAMENTO —  Rep. Adam B. Schiff’s clever and cynical ploy in California’s Senate primary enabled him to avoid risk in the November runoff. But he subjected himself to another risk. The Burbank Democrat may have dug some potholes in the high road he normally travels. There may be tarnish on the Mr. Clean image. Not that it will substantially affect how many votes he’ll win in November or future elections. Voters are pretty cynical themselves and aren’t shocked when politicians veer to the low road for expediency. People are trapped in polarization these days and vote for the candidate of their party, regardless of any character flaws — Donald Trump‘s followers being the sorriest example. So what was the risk? Probably little in the short run. But some voters may no longer look up to the veteran congressman as a courageous idealist. Certainly many young supporters of Democratic Rep. Katie Porter of Irvine, the potential November rival Schiff feared most, are ticked off at his tactics and are likely to long remember. In any case, Schiff’s ploy was somewhat disappointing and may not have been necessary.

Budget deal for NASA offers glimmer of hope for JPL’s Mars Sample Return mission

A bipartisan congressional agreement on NASA’s final budget for the current fiscal year offers a glimmer of hope that the space agency’s ambitious but troubled effort to bring pieces of Mars to Earth can recover from devastating cuts that led to hundreds of layoffs at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Cañada Flintridge. This week, the House and Senate appropriations committees finalized a deal that would grant a minimum of $300 million for the Mars Sample Return mission, which is managed by JPL. That’s a steep drop from the $822.3 million NASA spent on the program last year, and less than one-third of what the Biden administration requested. Mars Sample Return would deliver rocks, rubble and dust from the Red Planet’s Jezero Crater that has already been gathered and sealed into tubes by the Perseverance rover. The MSR mission envisions a lander that would retrieve those tubes and use a small rocket to ferry them into Martian orbit, where they would rendezvous with a spacecraft that would make the journey back to Earth, arriving roughly five years after the orbiter’s launch. The ultimate goal is

Farm workers ask for pay, then found a pig’s head at workstation

MoneyWatch By Kate Gibson Edited By Aimee Picchi March 6, 2024 / 5:10 PM EST / CBS News Who has an ethical profession? Who has the least-trusted job? Who has an ethical profession? Who has the least-trusted job? 00:38 Tennessee’s biggest pork producer is accused of retaliating against workers who asked about their pay, with one worker allegedly finding a severed pig’s head at their workstation, according to the Department of Labor. The pig’s head incident allegedly occurred after the employee had asked about their wages, sparking Tosh Farms LLC management to threaten them with termination. The worker found the animal’s head after returning from a meeting with managers, the Labor Department alleges. Tosh Farms allegedly retaliated against several employees for requesting their wages, with the investigation finding that the workers were assigned tasks outside their normal duties, such as cleaning bathrooms and picking up pig waste.  Asking about one’s wages is a protected activity under the Fair Labor Standards Act, while and federal law blocks employers from firing or discriminating against employees who have filed a complaint or who are working with the DOL in

Israel-Hamas talks end without cease-fire or hostage deal

Israel-Hamas talks end without cease-fire or hostage deal – CBS News Watch CBS News Cease-fire talks between Israel and Hamas have ended in Cairo without a deal, Egyptian officials told the Associated Press. Meanwhile, the Biden administration says it’s working on getting more humanitarian aid into Gaza. CBS News senior White House correspondent Weijia Jiang reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

LinkedIn users say they can’t access site amid outage reports

MoneyWatch By Megan Cerullo Edited By Anne Marie Lee Updated on: March 6, 2024 / 5:04 PM EST / CBS News Microsoft-owned networking platform LinkedIn suffered an outage that made the site unavailable for thousands of users Wednesday, according to outage tracking site Downdetector.com. LinkedIn did not immediately respond to CBS MoneyWatch’s request for comment.  On social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, LinkedIn’s customer support account acknowledged the outage.  “It’s not you, it’s us. You may be experiencing issues when you try to visit LinkedIn. Our teams are working to resolve this and you can check for updates on our Status Page: https://linkedin-status.com,” the company wrote.  It’s not you, it’s us. You may be experiencing issues when you try to visit LinkedIn. Our teams are working to resolve this and you can check for updates on our Status Page: https://t.co/JQdDeX7GJQ — LinkedIn Help (@LinkedInHelp) March 6, 2024 Most users reported problems accessing LinkedIn’s website, while some also reported issues with the app.  — This is a developing story. Check back for updates.  Megan Cerullo Megan Cerullo is a New York-based reporter for CBS

U.S. charges Chinese national with stealing AI trade secrets from Google

Politics By Robert Legare Edited By Stefan Becket March 6, 2024 / 4:50 PM EST / CBS News Google relaunching Gemini AI image generator Google relaunching Gemini AI picture generator 03:50 Washington — A former Google software engineer who worked on artificial intelligence is accused of stealing more than 500 files containing proprietary information about the tech giant’s supercomputing infrastructure, according to a federal indictment unsealed in San Francisco on Wednesday. Linwei Ding, a Chinese national living in Newark, California, was arrested on Wednesday and charged with four counts of stealing trade secrets. Federal prosecutors alleged he transferred the secret information from Google to a personal account to benefit tech companies within China. Court filings revealed the defendant started working for Google in 2019, focusing on software development for machine learning and AI programs. Beginning in May 2022, prosecutors said, he spent a year slowly robbing the tech giant of its proprietary data.  In June 2022, according to the charging documents, Ding received emails from the CEO of a tech company based in Beijing offering him more than $14,000 per month to serve as an

South L.A. residents want RVs gone from neighborhood

Residents of the West Rancho Dominguez neighborhood in South Los Angeles are asking for help after what they describe as an influx of homeless people in RVs. KTLA 5’s Sara Welch spoke to several people in the area formerly known as West Compton. They said they believe the RVs came to their neighborhoods after pressure from businesses forced them to move from their former locations. While they have sympathy for the people in these RVs, the neighbors note that trash, vermin like mice and rats, and sanitation problems have increased in the area since the vehicles’ arrival. “Our home values are going to be decreased,” neighbor Don Del Rio told Welch. “If you’re trying to sell a home here and a potential buyer drives by and sees this, it’s not good.” Neighbors are collecting signatures on a petition supporting an overnight camping ban in the area. KTLA reached out to L.A. County Supervisor Holly Mitchell, who represents the area, but did not hear back.

Felon Charged with Hitting Child in Front of Perris Church, Fleeing

A convicted felon accused of running over and seriously injuring a 6-year-old boy while fleeing the scene of an accident outside a Perris church was charged Wednesday with hit-and-run resulting in great bodily injury and other offenses. Louie Ahmad Qutami of Menifee was arrested Friday following a two-week investigation by the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Along with the hit-and-run count, Qutami is charged with probation violations and driving on a revoked license stemming from a drunk driving conviction. The defendant, who is being held without bail at the Byrd Detention Center in Murrieta, was slated to make his initial court appearance Wednesday afternoon at the Riverside Hall of Justice. The alleged hit-and-run occurred at about 6:30 p.m. on Feb. 14 at a crosswalk fronting St. James Catholic Church in the 300 block of West Third Street, according to sheriff’s Sgt. Jeremy Bracey. He said the victim, whose identity was not released, was walking with his family when they started across Third Street at C Street, roughly the same time that Qutami, going southbound in a 2023 Dodge Ram 1500 pickup, allegedly clipped a parked vehicle.