Category: Los Angeles

Family members of a 36-year-old Playa Vista woman who has not been seen or heard from in nearly two weeks have come from all over the country to try and find her.   Chanel Banks, according to family members, moved to Los Angeles more than a decade ago to pursue a career in acting.   Her cousin, Danielle-Tori Singh, told KTLA that she never thought her first trip to California would be to look for Banks, who hasn’t been heard from since late October.   “The last text we got from her before her phone went off the grid was Oct. 30,” Singh explained. “I’m not going to leave California until I find my cousin.”   Chanel Banks and her husband seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh) Chanel Banks, seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh) Family members seen passing out flyers of Chanel Banks, missing since at least Oct. 30, 2024. (KTLA) Chanel Banks, seen in this undated photo. (Danielle-Tori Singh) Chanel Banks’ vehicle seen at her apartment in Playa Vista on Nov. 12, 2024. (KTLA) Chanel Banks, seen in this undated photo.

Updated on: November 12, 2024 / 9:14 PM EST / CBS News Trump fills out Cabinet; Democrats swap blame Trump fills out his new Cabinet as Democrats point fingers 05:58 President-elect Donald Trump  will nominate Fox News host Pete Hegseth to be secretary of defense, the former president announced Tuesday night.  Hegseth, 44, is an Army veteran who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. He has an undergraduate degree from Princeton and a master’s degree from Harvard.  “I am honored to announce that I have nominated Pete Hegseth to serve in my Cabinet as The Secretary of Defense,” Trump said in a statement Tuesday night. “Pete has spent his entire life as a Warrior for the Troops, and for the Country. Pete is tough, smart and a true believer in America First. With Pete at the helm, America’s enemies are on notice — Our Military will be Great Again, and America will Never Back Down.” File: Fox News host Pete Hegseth  Roy Rochlin/Getty Images Hegseth joined Fox News as a contributor in 2014 and became a co-host of “Fox & Friends Weekends.”  He is the author

Explosion rocks Louisville, Kentucky, neighborhood – CBS News Watch CBS News An explosion in Louisville, Kentucky, injured several people on Tuesday at the Givaudan Sense Colour plant, a company that produces coloring for soft drinks. CBS News national correspondent Dave Malkoff reports. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Updated on: November 12, 2024 / 9:18 PM EST / CBS/AP What Musk could gain from Trump’s second term What Elon Musk could gain from Trump’s second term 04:33 President-elect Donald Trump announced Tuesday that billionaire Elon Musk and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy will head up a new temporary agency known as the Department of Government Efficiency. Trump in a statement said the two “will pave the way for my Administration to dismantle Government Bureaucracy, slash excess regulations, cut wasteful expenditures, and restructure Federal Agencies – Essential to the ‘Save America’ Movement.” Trump seemed to suggest that Musk and Ramaswamy might not formally join the government, explaining that the two would “provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management & Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before.” L-R: File photos of entrepreneur and former Republican presidential hopeful Vivek Ramaswamy and Tesla, SpaceX and X CEO Elon Musk. Getty Images In his own statement, Musk said the new agency “will send shockwaves through the system, and

Tulsa police tries to build trust with community Tulsa Police Department tries to build trust with community 03:47 Sheeba Atiqi’s is on a goodwill tour, and while it may look easy, it’s anything but. As a civilian ambassador for the Tulsa Police Department, her goal is to thaw relations with an often standoffish community. “People are afraid to approach them, afraid to ask them questions,” Atiqi said. “My job as a police ambassador is basically to be the liaison between the department and the community members.” It can be challenging, Atiqi says, because people may be “afraid due to their own background to engage with officers.” Tulsa is proud of its history as the center of the oil industry, but the city also grapples with ghosts — especially the aftermath of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, when local police assisted a rampaging white mob, leading to dozens, if not more, being killed and a Black neighborhood of nearly forty square blocks being incinerated. So the distrust that Tulsa police face runs deep and spans generations. “If you don’t learn from history, you’re doomed to repeat

It was just last month when 63-year-old Fernando Valenzuela, the beloved Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher who sparked Fernandomania, died from a mysterious illness. A newly published copy of his death certificate dispels much of the mystery: According to that document, Valenzuela’s underlying cause of death was possibly related to a liver disease and liver failure. The certificate, first reported by TMZ, listed septic shock, decompensated alcoholic cirrhosis and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis cirrhosis as underlying causes. The certificate also suggest that Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease may also have contributed to his death. A rare and lethal brain disease, Creutzfeldt-Jakob causes changes in brain tissue and affects muscle coordination and memory, according to the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. The latest details come three weeks after Valenzuela’s death and days after a public funeral Mass was held for him at the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in downtown Los Angeles. Since his death on Oct. 22, Dodgers fans have been celebrating the life of the legendary pitcher who meant so much to Angelenos, especially in the Latino community. An informal memorial was created outside Dodger Stadium

NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory is preparing to lay off hundreds of employees this week, director Laurie Leshin said in a memo to staff sent Tuesday afternoon. The La Cañada Flintridge research institution will let go of approximately 325 employees across the organization on Wednesday, or roughly 5% of its total staff, the memo stated. “With lower budgets and based on the forecasted work ahead, we had to tighten our belts across the board,” Leshin wrote. “This is a message I had hoped not to have to write.” This is the third round of layoffs at JPL this year, a reduction spurred primarily by major budgetary cuts to the Mars Sample Return mission, which is managed by JPL. NASA directed $310 million this year to the effort to bring Mars rocks back to Earth, a steep drop from the $822.3 million it spent on the program the previous year. In January, 100 on-site contractors at JPL were let go after NASA instructed the lab to reduce spending in anticipation of a much tighter budget. In February, the lab laid off 530 employees — approximately 8% of

(Elana Marie / For De Los ) This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Latin Grammys. The awards ceremony will air live on Univision, Galavisión and ViX on Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT, following a one-hour preshow celebration. It will take place at the Kaseya Center in Miami. Where can I stream the Latin Grammys? The 25th annual Latin Grammys can be livestreamed on Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning at 8 p.m. at the following sites: Univision Galavisión ViX What is the Latin Grammy Premiere? Hours before the 25th Latin Grammys, the Latin Academy will livestream the annual Latin Grammy Premiere on its YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, X and Instagram. The premiere kicks off Thursday, Nov. 14, beginning at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. ET. This is not the main awards ceremony, but it is where most of the awards will be presented. “With an amazing lineup of performers, we will reveal the winners in 50 of 58 Latin Grammy categories, showcasing the diversity of our community of creators throughout Ibero-America,” said Manuel Abud, CEO of the Latin Recording Academy. Hosting the

When the ranger’s away, the bear cub will play — and the kids will stay locked in school. At least that’s what happened Tuesday in La Crescenta, where multiple law enforcement and wildlife personnel spent the afternoon monitoring a bear cub hanging out in a tree in front of Crescenta Valley High School, powerless to compel the creature to go home. As authorities determined what to do, Glendale Unified School District officials ordered the high school and nearby La Crescenta Elementary to shelter in place. “We want to stress that things are OK, and the situation is actively being monitored,” said district spokesperson Kristine Nam. Classes continued as scheduled on each campus, though students were not allowed to go outside, Nam said. The school issued the shelter-in-place order from 10 a.m. to shortly after noon and then again at 1 p.m. Though the district occasionally sends out warnings about bears and mountain lions, this is the first time Nam said she had seen a bear-induced shelter-in-place order since she joined the district nine years ago. One parent of an elementary school student confirmed to The

With just three days until opening day, Mammoth Mountain received 5 inches of fresh snowfall Monday night, helping fill in the slopes ahead of the ski resort’s 71st season kickoff Friday. Video shared by the resort shows snowmaking machines working late into the night, complementing the natural snowfall to make sure opening day offers prime conditions for eager skiers and snowboarders. Resorts like Mammoth use specialized machines that spray a fine mist of water into the air, which freezes before hitting the ground, creating an artificial snowpack. These machines are often used during overnight hours when temperatures are low enough to maintain snow production. A snow machine produces fresh powder at Mammoth Mountain on Nov. 12, 2024, days before opening day of 2024-25 season. (Dylan Hall, Mammoth Mountain) With more snow in the forecast and low overnight temperatures, Mammoth’s opening day is shaping up to be an exciting start to the season, officials said. Lifts expected to open on Friday include the Lower Panorama Gondola, Face Lift Express and Unbound Express. Trails set to open include Broadway, Saddle Bowl, Silver Tip and Rusty’s. The Upper

A 30-year-old Glendale man has been accused of the horrifying killings of an Orange County couple in which he allegedly executed them and later burned their bodies in the Southern California desert, prosecutors say. Huangting Gong was charged with two felony counts of murder, one felony count of kidnapping, two felony counts of arson of property and two felony counts of first degree burglary in connection with the slayings, and could face the death penalty if convicted. According to the Orange County District Attorney’s Office, the Brea Police Department was contacted on Oct. 15 by a person who claimed to have not heard from their family member, 37-year-old Kuanlun Wang in several days, which was unusual. During that initial contact, the family member told authorities that Wang claimed that Gong, a business associate, owed him $80,000. That family member said they contacted Gong three days prior, on Oct. 12. Gong told the family member that Wang and his wife, 37-year-old Jing Li, failed to show up to a meeting in New York City in which another business associate was supposed to pay Wang the money.

The People v. Kouri Richins The People v. Kouri Richins 40:39 A judge denied bail for Kouri Richins  on Tuesday, ordering the Utah mom to remain in jail until she goes on trial for allegedly fatally poisoning her husband in 2022.  Richins is accused of killing her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in a small mountain town near Park City. She has been under  arrest since May 2023 . Richins wrote a children’s book on grief called “Are you with me?” after the death of her husband, and appeared on television to discuss her family’s pain. Defense attorneys recently filed a flurry of motions in the case. In addition to denying bail, the judge also denied the motion to sever attempted criminal homicide and aggravated murder charges, and to expand the number of jurors from 8 to 12.  The judge granted the defense the ability to expand the geographic area from which the jury could be selected, and also dropped two drug charges. The judge also agreed to separate a real estate case against Richins from her trial for murder

How billionaires could benefit from Trump’s second term – CBS News Watch CBS News Billionaires backed President-elect Donald Trump’s bid to get back in the White House, but now that the deal is done, what could they get in return? CBS News investigative reporter Dan Klaidman joins “America Decides” with more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Marco Rubio, Kristi Noem poised to join second Trump administration – CBS News Watch CBS News President-elect Donald Trump’s Cabinet is quickly taking shape. Florida Sen. Marco Rubio and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem are expected to be tapped as the next secretary of state and Homeland Security secretary, respectively. CBS News’ Major Garrett and Weijia Jiang have the latest. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Proponents of expanding the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors tried in 1962, in 1976, in 1992 and again in 2000. Each time, voters said no, even as the county’s population swelled. The last thing people wanted, it seemed, was more politicians. Now, in a historic shift, a proposal to add four more members to the five-member board as part of a massive overhaul of the county government’s structure has passed. The backers of Measure G claimed victory Monday afternoon following days of returns showing voters closely divided. The measure, which also includes a proposal to elect a chief executive and create an independent ethics commission, had a narrow but stable lead, securing just over 51% of votes, with some ballots still left to be counted. “The way we’re doing county governance right now just doesn’t work,” said Supervisor Lindsey Horvath, who co-authored the measure with Supervisor Janice Hahn. “I’m heartened by what this change reflects.” Voters have repeatedly rejected ballot measures aimed at expanding the Board of Supervisors, currently an all-female board nicknamed the “five little queens” for the immense power they hold over

Calling all Angel-emos: My Chemical Romance is celebrating its seminal album “The Black Parade” with a stadium tour slated for next summer. The “Long Live The Black Parade” tour will travel to 10 U.S. cities from July to September 2025 — including a July 26 stop at Dodger Stadium. Announced opening acts for the tour include L.A.-based pop rock band Wallows , emo staples Death Cab for Cutie and Evanescence as well as modern troupes 100 gecs and IDLES. “It has been seventeen years since The Black Parade was sent to the MOAT,” the band wrote Tuesday in a tour announcement on Instagram . “In that time, a great Dictator has risen to power, bringing about ‘THE CONCRETE AGE’; a glorious time of stability and abundance in the history of DRAAG.” The post continued: “His Grand Immortal Dictator wishes to celebrate our rich and storied culture, fine foods, and musical entertainments by welcoming you to these great demonstrations of power and resolve. And lending voice and song for the first time in six thousand two hundred and forty six days, their work privilege ceremoniously reinstated

A rare dust storm caused a multi-vehicle pileup and shut off power to Central Valley residents Monday. The so-called ‘haboob’ swept through the valley on Monday afternoon from about 1:30 to 4 p.m., said Emily Wilson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service at Hanford. Several people were injured in an accident on California 99, and Pacific Gas & Electric reported outages for about 15,000 Fresno county residents as abnormally high winds kicked dust up into a menacing cloud. “It was unusually dry for several months,” Wilson said, adding that a low pressure system “picked up all that dust and carried it across the entire valley.” In Madera, officials recorded a gust of 49 mph, which is unusual for a Central Valley location, Wilson said. The video below, from UC San Diego’s ALERTCalifornia, shows the dust storm engulfing a camera east of Delano. The university’s Garces Highway camera is located east of Delano, and its Schill Hill camera is in the foothills northeast of Bakersfield. The weather service staff were able to see the haboob with their own eyes, a “distinct wall of dust” that

Warning: This column includes spoilers for the film “Heretic.” I went to see “Heretic” four days after the election. It was too soon. Drawn by the promise of jump scares and Hugh Grant in maniacal-villain mode, set in what appeared from the trailers to be a supernatural trap of a house, I sought big-screen escape from the crowing/hand-wringing news cycle. I got some of that but I also got, at a very key moment, women in cages. And a big lecture from Grant’s murderous Mr. Reed about how they were exactly where they wanted to be. Because they had chosen to be controlled. It was an obvious case of pathological mansplaining. As we had just witnessed for an hour and a half, the women were in cages because they had been systematically entrapped, terrified, threatened and attacked. But it was pretty much the last thing I needed. (The trailer for “Babygirl,” in which a powerful woman longs to be bullied by a sexy 24-year-old, didn’t help either.) Though it remains to be seen what a second Trump administration will mean for this country in terms

Intimacy coordinators have unanimously elected to unionize under the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists. Members of the bargaining unit voted 100% in favor of unionization in an official election overseen by the National Labor Relations board, the union announced Tuesday. Intimacy coordinators are the professionals who help actors navigate scenes involving nudity, simulated sex and other sensitive scenarios on set. “In these sobering times with looming threats to environmental protections and women’s equality, it is refreshing to see the entertainment industry’s recognition of intimacy coordinators and their important contribution to productions and to performers in intimate scenes,” SAG-AFTRA President Fran Drescher said in a statement. “We at SAG-AFTRA are proud to include this esteemed group of trained professionals as the newest to join our member body. May this continue to carve the path of elevated consideration for the feelings of safety for people and planet.” SAG-AFTRA formally requested a union election for intimacy coordinators in September, about four years after the labor organization established rules regarding the presence of intimacy coordinators on set. On the heels of the #MeToo movement, the

Members of the American Automobile Association can park their cars and get discounted train tickets through a new partnership with Southern California’s regional rail service. AAA members can now receive a 20% discount on roundtrip Metrolink tickets across its entire service area, which includes Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside, San Bernardino, San Diego and Ventura counties. California’s ‘best’ Christmas town gearing up for annual holiday festival The promotion, according to officials, is meant to make travel more affordable and convenient for those who are interested in leaving their cars at home for a trip to the city or the beach, or commuters who utilize both Metrolink and AAA. Car owners already make up 85% of Metrolink’s weekday riders, officials said. Two Metrolink trains depart the Burbank Downtown Station in opposite directions in this undated photo from Metrolink. “We’re proud to partner with AAA Auto Club of Southern California and offer their members a discount on Metrolink trains,” said Metrolink Board Chair Larry McCallon. “Riding Metrolink is one of the most sustainable ways to get around and takes traffic out of the equation.” Metrolink’s new expanded service

For one day only, “the bear ate my homework” might be an acceptable excuse for students at a Los Angeles-area high school. An unlikely visitor showed up to Crescenta Valley High School on Tuesday in the form of a bear cub. The young cub was spotted up in a tree just outside campus, according to the L.A. County Sheriff’s Department. A bear cub was spotted in a tree just outside Crescenta Valley High School on Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2024. (Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department) Understandably so, the department roped off the immediate area in an attempt to keep students and other passerbys away from the cub. The department said it was waiting for the mother to find and reunite with the cub. As of Tuesday afternoon, there were no injuries reported. The department asked people to stay away from the area until the scene was cleared.