Category: Los Angeles

By Brittany Vincent Edited By Fox Van Allen, Nina Bradley Updated on: August 30, 2024 / 1:36 PM EDT / Essentials CBS Essentials is created independently of the CBS News editorial staff. We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. Purple Mattress Want to upgrade your bedroom with a new Purple mattress? There’s never been a better time to bring one home than right now, thanks to the Purple Labor Day sale. The brand is offering up to $700 off Purple mattresses and up to $300 off base sets this Labor Day. Plus, you’ll get a set of sheets thrown in for free with your purchase (up to $309 value). Discounts vary by mattress. The biggest discounts of the Purple Labor Day sale This Labor Day, it’s time for a bedroom upgrade. Snuggle up with one of the most luxurious mattresses you’ve ever laid your tired body down on. Exhausted sleepers looking for next-level comfort can snag these savings by selecting a plush Purple Rejuvenate Mattress. Hot sleepers looking for a cooling reprieve can

Aerial image of a barricade suspect on Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu Wednesday morning. PCH is currently closed between Heathercliff Road and Busch Drive in Malibu. (KTLA) Aug. 21, 2024 Updated 7:03 AM PT Pacific Coast Highway at Point Dume in Malibu was closed Wednesday morning during a standoff between Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies and a person barricaded in a vehicle. Deputies closed the road, a main artery for commuters through Malibu, in both directions between Heathercliff Road and Busch Drive about 5 a.m. “due to an assault with a deadly weapon suspect barricaded in a vehicle,” the sheriff’s Lost Hills Station announced on social media. Video from the scene broadcast on KABC-TV showed deputies with guns drawn surrounding a white van stopped at an angle on the side of the highway with a man inside. The road was still blocked as of 6:50 a.m. Commuters were asked to avoid the area until further notice. This is a developing story and will be updated as more information becomes available. More to Read Sign up for Essential California The most important California stories and recommendations in

It’s no surprise that Southern Californians are seeing their monthly electricity bills surge this summer. As increasing rates have met with increasing temperatures, there have been anecdotal reports that, for some consumers, bills have skyrocketed, even by hundreds of dollars. And Californians are looking for answers. Why costs are rising There are several factors that influence electricity prices across the United States, including the cost to build, finance, maintain and operate power plants and the electric grid, as well as weather conditions and state regulations, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, the driving force behind rate hikes is utilities recovering the cost of wildfire mitigation, transmission and distribution upgrades and rooftop solar incentives, according to a recent quarterly report by the California Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocates Office. Over the last 10 years, rates at California’s three big utility companies have risen as much as 110%, according to the report. Layered on top of those climbing rates is an increase in energy use by customers amid excessive heat. And that’s the primary reason behind larger bills, said Gabriela Ornelas, spokesperson for Southern

Meth, cocaine found in jalapeño paste shipment Meth, cocaine found hidden in jalapeño paste shipment 00:22 Officers recently found and seized almost $6 million worth of methamphetamine in less than two weeks at the United States-Mexico border, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced. Officials said the drug hauls were discovered in two separate incidents, hidden inside a shipment of celery and wrapped in packaging designed to resemble watermelons.  The first seizure happened on the evening of August 9, when border agents at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility, an inspection port just over the southern border in San Diego, found 629 pounds of methamphetamine in a grocery shipping crate filled with celery. Border Patrol said that agents discovered the narcotics while performing an inspection on a commercial tractor-trailer, driven by a 34-year-old man with a legitimate border crossing card who entered the U.S. from Mexico with cargo on board his truck. The driver was transporting a shipment that had been declared as celery, according to the federal authorities. U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agents used a K-9 unit to do the inspection, which revealed 508 packages

How a Black swim instructor is tackling inequalities in aquatic sports – CBS News Watch CBS News As swim season approaches, a Black swim instructor is leading efforts to break down the barriers that put children of color at higher risk of drowning. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Updated on: August 21, 2024 / 9:52 AM EDT / CBS/AP Fate of Missouri man on death row in limbo After governor’s resignation, fate of Missouri man on death row in limbo 03:45 Testimony begins Wednesday in a hearing with life-or-death implications for Missouri inmate Marcellus Williams . The case before St. Louis County Circuit Judge Bruce Hilton is on a motion filed by Prosecuting Attorney Wesley Bell seeking to vacate Williams’ 1998 murder conviction. Time is of the essence: Williams is scheduled to be executed Sept. 24, and neither Missouri Gov. Mike Parson nor Attorney General Andrew Bailey has shown any inclination to delay the process. Williams, 55, was convicted of first-degree murder in the 1998 stabbing death of Lisha Gayle. He was hours away from execution in August 2017 when then-Gov. Eric Greitens, a Republican, granted a stay after DNA testing unavailable at the time of the killing showed that DNA on the knife matched someone else, not Williams. That evidence prompted Bell to reexamine the case. “This never-before-considered evidence, when paired with the relative paucity of other, credible evidence supporting guilt, as

August 21, 2024 / 9:50 AM EDT / AP Are social media influencers too influential? Are social media influencers getting too influential? 06:57 Bucharest, Romania — Masked police officers in Romania carried out fresh raids early Wednesday at the home of divisive internet influencer Andrew Tate , who is awaiting trial on charges of human trafficking, rape and forming a criminal gang to sexually exploit women. Romania’s anti-organized crime agency, DIICOT, said it was searching four homes in Bucharest and nearby Ilfov county, investigating allegations of human trafficking, the trafficking of minors, sexual intercourse with a minor, influencing statements and money laundering. The agency added that hearings would be held later at its headquarters. Tate’s spokesperson, Mateea Petrescu, said in response to the raids that “although the charges in the search warrant are not yet fully clarified, they include suspicions of human trafficking and money laundering” and added that his legal team was present. Petrescu did not address the allegations involving minors. Dozens of police officers and forensic personnel were scouring Tate’s large property on the edge of the capital Bucharest. “During the entire criminal process

Hardcover fiction 1. James by Percival Everett (Doubleday: $28) An action-packed reimagining of “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” 2. Long Island Compromise by Taffy Brodesser-Akner (Random House: $30) A social satire on the wild legacy of trauma and inheritance. 3. All Fours by Miranda July (Riverhead Books: $29) A woman upends her domestic life in this irreverent and tender novel. 4. The Women by Kristin Hannah (St. Martin’s Press: $30) An intimate portrait of coming of age in a dangerous time and an epic tale of a nation divided. 5. The God of the Woods by Liz Moore (Riverhead Books: $30) Two worlds collide when a teenager vanishes from her Adirondacks summer camp. 6. Sandwich by Catherine Newman (Harper: $27) A hilarious story of a family summer vacation full of secrets, lunch and learning to let go. 7. Lady Macbeth by Ava Reid (Del Rey: $29) Shakespeare’s most famous villainess comes up for a reimagining. 8. Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt (Ecco: $30) A giant Pacific octopus bonds with a widow at a Washington state aquarium. 9. The Bright Sword by Lev Grossman

Police, Army Reserve missed opportunities to potentially stop Maine shooting, special report finds – CBS News Watch CBS News A report on Maine’s October 2023 mass shooting highlights missed opportunities by the Army Reserve and police to address the gunman’s mental health crisis and seize his weapons — actions the report says could have prevented the deadly attack. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Barack, Michelle Obama rally behind Harris-Walz ticket – CBS News Watch CBS News Former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama rallied behind the Harris-Walz ticket on day two of the Democratic National Convention, delivering sharp critiques of former President Donald Trump and calling on Democrats to remain united as election day approaches. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Matt Gaetz, Rick Scott win primaries in Florida – CBS News Watch CBS News Rep. Matt Gaetz, who led the effort to oust former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, beat his primary challenger Aaron Dimmock in Florida Tuesday. Sen. Rick Scott, a former Florida governor, also won his primary. CBS News’ Nikole Killion reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Eye Opener: The Obamas make case for Kamala Harris against Donald Trump at DNC night two – CBS News Watch CBS News The crowd roars on night two of the Democratic National Convention as both Barack and Michelle Obama take the stage to make case for Kamala Harris against Donald Trump. Also, a heatwave brings record-breaking temperatures to parts of the south. All that and all that matters in today’s Eye Opener. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

A portion of Pacific Coast Highway is closed in Malibu Wednesday morning as law enforcement deals with a suspect barricaded inside a vehicle. The highway was closed between Heathercliff Road and Busch Drive, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department posted on X, formerly Twitter, just after 5 a.m. The Sheriff’s Department said that the suspect was wanted in connected with an assault with a deadly weapon call. Cars are detoured of Pacific Coast Highway in Malibu on Aug. 21, 2024. (KTLA) No further details about the call or the barricade situation were provided. Motorists were asked to avoid the area until further notice. Check back for updates on this developing story.

Two men are dead and two suspects are on the loose after gunfire erupted at a smoke shop in the Vermont Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles overnight. Officers responded to an assault with a deadly weapon call in the 8600 block of South Figueroa Street shortly before 10 p.m. Two victims, a 39-year-old man and a man in his 20s, were found inside the smoke shop with multiple gunshot wounds, a Los Angeles Police Department spokesperson confirmed. Police investigate a deadly shooting at a smoke shop in Los Angeles on Aug. 21, 2024. (RMG News) Both victims, whose identities have not been released, were pronounced dead at the scene. It was unclear if they were customers or employees of the store. Investigators learned that two male suspects, believed to be in their 20s, walked into the Figueroa Mini-Market smoke shop and fired multiple rounds at the victims. The gunmen fled in a vehicle and remain on the loose, police said. No description of the suspects or their vehicle has been released.

A Black female arson investigator is suing the city of Los Angeles for discrimination, retaliation and a “hostile work environment,” and she says the Los Angeles Fire Department did nothing to stop her harassment. Afara Lalaind, who filed her civil complaint Thursday at Stanley Mosk Courthouse in downtown L.A., also alleges her reputation “has been ruined” and her chance for advancement is gone. She’s seeking damages of more than $25,000, including for loss of earnings and employee benefits and the anxiety and anguish she says she has suffered. Calls and emails to Lalaind’s lawyer and to the Los Angeles city attorney’s office were not immediately returned. Lalaind, a 39-year-old Bay Area native, is a Los Angeles Fire Department arson investigator and one of the first two female board members for the Los Angeles County Stentorians , an association of African Americans in the fire service. Lalaind served as a firefighter-paramedic for six years with the LAFD before requesting to be transferred to Fire Station No. 57 in South Los Angeles in early 2022, according to the lawsuit. She was the only female firefighter at the

It’s no surprise that Southern Californians are seeing their monthly electricity bills surge this summer. As increasing rates have met with increasing temperatures, there have been anecdotal reports that, for some consumers, bills have skyrocketed, even by hundreds of dollars. And Californians are looking for answers. Why costs are rising There are several factors that influence electricity prices across the United States, including the cost to build, finance, maintain and operate power plants and the electric grid, as well as weather conditions and state regulations, according to the U.S. Energy Information Administration. In California, the driving force behind rate hikes is utilities recovering the cost of wildfire mitigation, transmission and distribution upgrades and rooftop solar incentives, according to a recent quarterly report by the California Public Utilities Commission’s Public Advocates Office. Over the last 10 years, rates at California’s three big utility companies have risen as much as 110%, according to the report. Layered on top of those climbing rates is an increase in energy use by customers amid excessive heat. And that’s the primary reason behind larger bills, said Gabriela Ornelas, spokesperson for Southern

Communities across California, from Los Angeles to the San Joaquin Valley, have fought for more than a decade to stop oil companies from drilling in their neighborhoods and spewing health-damaging pollution into the air. The passage of a landmark state law in 2022 to ban new drilling within 3,200 feet of homes, schools, child care centers and hospitals and establish new health protections for existing wells seemed to be the victory they sought. They never imagined it might take nearly another decade for it to take full effect. Yet that’s exactly what Gov. Gavin Newsom’s office has proposed in the closing days of this year’s legislative session. The law was already delayed a year and a half when the oil industry filed a referendum against the law and then withdrew it from the November ballot . Now the administration wants to extend various oil industry compliance deadlines in the law. As written, the law gives operators of wells near homes and schools until the end of this year to submit leak detection and response plans to state regulators, and until the end of 2026 to

The high school football season begins this week. A look at top storylines and other issues to follow: Can Corona Centennial end the Mater Dei/St. John Bosco domination in Division 1 football? Every season since 2016, either Mater Dei or St. John Bosco has won the Southern Section Division 1 championship. Centennial won the title in 2015 and has the best chance to end the private-school domination. Centennial came within one play of beating St. John Bosco in the Division 1 semifinals last season. As usual, coach Matt Logan fears no one and the Huskies will play Mater Dei on the road to open the season Thursday night. With quarterback Husan Longstreet, a good offensive line and speed at receiver, Centennial will be scoring lots of points this season. Longstreet has been dealing with foot injury for the past month and might not be ready for the opener. Will Mission Viejo have enough depth on the offensive and defensive lines to threaten the elite teams? When it comes to skill-position players, Mission Viejo doesn’t have to take a back seat to anyone. Quarterbacks Luke Fahey

August 21, 2024 / 7:49 AM EDT / AFP Blinken wraps trip to Middle East Bodies of Israeli hostages found as Blinken ends trip to Middle East 04:39 A young Israeli woman who became emblematic of the hostages seized by Hamas on October 7 said Wednesday she thought every night in captivity could be her last. “Every night I was falling asleep and thinking, ‘This may be the last night of my life,'” Noa Argamani said in Japan on a visit with her father. “And until the moment I was (rescued) … I just did not believe that I’m still surviving,” the 26-year-old said as she met with senior diplomats from G7 countries in Tokyo. “And in this moment that I’m still sitting with you, it’s a miracle that I’m here.” Israeli Noa Argamani, who was abducted with others from the Nova music festival during Hamas’ October 7 attack on southern Israel that triggered war, attends a meeting with G7 embassy representatives during a visit to Tokyo on August 21, 2024. Argamani was rescued along with three others in early June after special forces fought

UPDATE: Mayanin Vazquez has been found safe and reunited with her family KTLA learned early Wednesday. No further details about Vazquez’s return were provided.  The family has asked for privacy as they focus on reuniting and moving forward. ORIGINAL STORY: Loved ones are distraught after a 16-year-old girl never came home from school and has not been heard from since. On Aug. 12, Mayanin Vazquez and her siblings began their day by walking to South East High School in South Gate. However, along the way, Vazquez separated from the group and missed her first day of class. The last known image of Vazquez was captured outside a Smart & Final grocery store on the 9800 block of Laurel Street in Watts. The girl was seen walking with a mystery man and his arm was seen wrapped around her shoulders. Family members do not know the man and are struggling to find answers in their search for Vazquez. “I’m torn up,” said Samuel Maldonado, the girl’s father. “I don’t know how I’m standing.” Mayanin Vazquez, 16, is seen in a family photo. Mayanin Vazquez, 16, is

THURSDAY CITY SECTION Nonleague Bell at Angelou, 7 p.m.Belmont at Torres, 4:30 p.m.Chatsworth at Arleta, 3:30 p.m.Crenshaw at Gardena, 7 p.m.Granada Hills at Banning, 7 p.m.Hawkins at Rivera, 7 p.m.Huntington Park at Westchester, 7:30 p.m.Legacy at Lincoln, 7 p.m.Los Angeles at Grant, 7 p.m.Manual Arts at Hamilton, 7:30 p.m.Mendez at Maywood CES, 7 p.m.North Hollywood at Canoga Park, 7 p.m.Palisades at Roosevelt, 7 p.m.San Fernando at Chavez 7 p.m.San Pedro at Kennedy, 7:30 p.m.Santee at Roybal, 7:30 p.m.Sotomayor at Van Nuys, 7 p.m.Sylmar at Marshall, 7 p.m.Taft at Monroe, 7 p.m.University at Fremont, 7:30 p.m.Verdugo Hills at Reseda, 7 p.m.Washington at Panorama, 7:30 p.m.West Adams at Jefferson, 6 p.m. SOUTHERN SECTION Nonleague Azusa vs. Ganesha at Citrus College, 7 p.m.Canyon Springs at Twentynine Palms, 7 p.m.Capistrano Valley Christian at Irvine University, 7 p.m.Citrus Hill at Rubidoux, 7:30 p.m.Citrus Valley at Etiwanda, 7 p.m.Colony at El Modena, 7 p.m.Compton at Compton Centennial, 6 p.m.Corona del Mar vs. Cypress at Western, 7 p.m.Esperanza vs. Fountain Valley at Yorba Linda, 7 p.m.Golden Valley at Antelope Valley, 7 p.m.Granite Hills at Carter, 7:30 p.m.Hemet at Indio, 7 p.m.Heritage at