Category: Los Angeles

By Duarte Dias, Ramy Inocencio December 11, 2024 / 5:04 AM EST / CBS News Cork’s role in fighting climate change How cork — the same material used to seal wine bottles — could save the planet 06:02 Lisbon, Portugal — The sound of a cork popping out of the end of a bottle is known across the world. It often precedes moments of celebration, a shared meal or simply the quiet enjoyment of a glass of wine. But many who’ve taken part in the simple ritual may not realize that it’s also a synonym for sustainability, natural wonder, and even human ingenuity. Cork, the humble material used for centuries to seal bottles, is a unique product not only for the way it’s grown, but also for the plethora of inventive uses people have found for it — which go far beyond the ubiquitous bottle stoppers. Cork is used in everything from the building of spacecraft to the insulation of homes, and it can replace rubber or plastic on just about anything that needs protection from heat or vibration. Thanks to the unique, delicate conditions in

Aunque los cines están muy concurridos en este momento, con “Wicked” y “Moana 2″ atrayendo a multitudes de espectadores, ha sido un año bastante duro para el cine. Entre los éxitos de taquilla, sin embargo, el desafío de no sólo captar la atención del público, sino simplemente llegar a la pantalla, parece difícil que nunca. El año estuvo marcado por cineastas que apostaron todo, desde un montón de 120 millones de dólares, como Francis Ford Coppola con “Megalopolis” (“Megalópolis”) hasta su vida como el cineasta disidente iraní Mohammad Rasoulof con “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” (“La semilla de la higuera sagrada”). Considerando los caminos de “The Apprentice” (“El Aprendiz”), sobre el ascenso de Donald Trump en Nueva York, o el documental sobre la ocupación israelí “No Other Land” (que aún carece de distribuidor), la pregunta sobre qué se estrena fue un refrán común y escalofriante. Eso también hizo que las películas que lograron abrirse camino —aquellas que contaron historias urgentes o deslumbraron con originalidad en una época de dominio de secuelas— fueran aún más dignas de celebración. A continuación, la selección de los críticos

Residents along five streets in Paso Robles will see road repairs starting mid-next year. And because nothing beneath the surface needs to be upgraded, construction is expected to take up to a year. Other current projects, such as the Creston Road Corridor Project on the east side of the city, need upgraded sewer mains, fire hydrants, conduit, and more, construction is expected to last two years in total. The city will be taking bids during the early part of next year to fix 16th, 18th, 32nd, and 36th streets. Combined, the total project will cost more than $4 million. For longtime residents like Victoria Barron, it is a relief now that downtown has seen its improvements. “Now they’re slowly working their way this way to improve our roads over here,” Barron said. “So, I knew it was a matter of time. I’m just really grateful that it’s finally happening. Barron says she’s seen a horrible accident because of the unkept roads. The beginning of the street actually had such big potholes that a guy beefed it on his bike and then got ran over,” Barron

Are you doing your holiday shopping in person or online this year? While online shopping has grown tremendously, in-store purchases still dominate with Americans spending about $7 trillion in retail stores compared to $1.2 trillion online last year, according to Capital One Shopping. Now, artificial intelligence (AI) is changing the way consumers find the perfect gifts and score the best deals. AI can offer personalized recommendations, price comparisons, and savings opportunities. Unlike generic gift guides, AI tools like Cheerful, co-founded by UC Santa Barbara graduate Ben Revzin, craft highly tailored suggestions based on recipients ages, interests, preferences, and price points then show you links to purchase them. Basically for Cheerful specifically, AI is taking the interests that you write, its like a recipe for a cake,” Revzin explains. You throw in the interests, you throw in how old your gift recipient is so your parents’ age or your friend’s age, whatever it is, and then it’s basically creating and thinking up, in real-time, gift ideas for that person. So AI is making it all happen. Its kind of like the oven. If saving money is

A prosecutor told jurors Tuesday that ballistics evidence linked a man to the shooting death of a veteran UPS employee who was among a trio of people who tried to stop him after he was allegedly seen rummaging around a parked car in Covina four days before Christmas in 2021, while a defense attorney countered that his client opened fire only after being punched and kneed. Trevor Howard Thompson, now 37, is charged with one count of murder stemming from the Dec. 21, 2021, death of 38-year-old Joey Manuel Casias, along with two counts each of assault with a semiautomatic firearm and illegal possession of a firearm. The murder charge includes the special circumstance allegation of murder to avoid arrest, along with an allegation that Thompson personally used a firearm causing death. Deputy District Attorney Michelle Weiske told the Pomona jury that the bulk of the charges against the defendant stem from his alleged actions in December 2021 after he was seen inside a white BMW that had inadvertently been left unlocked. Thompson was first confronted by the vehicle’s owner, who was informed that someone

Renters in Los Angeles can anticipate more support from the city after Tuesday’s expansion of programs under Measure ULA, including eviction defense, rental assistance and income support for seniors and people with disabilities. In a 12-0 vote, the City Council approved final guidelines for Measure ULA housing production and homelessness prevention initiatives, as well as plans to use more dollars generated by the tax, which was approved by voters in April 2023 and established a tax on the sale of property of more than $5 million. Council members Traci Park and Monica Rodriguez were absent during the vote. Councilman Curren Price recused himself because is a landlord. The panel also approved an amendment introduced by Councilman Bob Blumenfield for a report on if and how the city might exempt or lessen the burden on nonprofits building or acquiring affordable housing for seniors. “I’m trying to find a way that we can help those organizations out that are doing that housing, and this is a report to help us find that pathway to help those nonprofits that are doing this important work but are unfortunately, the

Two people were arrested following a violent bar fight that ended in a man being struck by a car in downtown Laguna Beach. The suspects were identified as Itay Zaiger, 25, and Nicholas Tasooji, 39, according to the Laguna Beach Police Department. On Dec. 7, police responded to an altercation on the 200 block of Beach Street at around 2:19 a.m. Arriving officers found two men at the scene who said they were intentionally struck by a driver following an altercation that began at a local bar on Forest Avenue. Investigators learned two groups of men were arguing inside the bar earlier that night. The argument then escalated into “philosophical differences between the Israeli/Palestinian conflict,” police said. The hostilities continued outside of the bar before the confrontation turned physical. That’s when Zaiger reportedly chased a man in the opposing group and tackled him, police said. The man claimed Zaiger kicked him in the head several times after he was tackled to the ground, causing moderate head trauma. Tasooji, a friend of the man who was tackled, then allegedly drove his vehicle onto the sidewalk and

Despite his arrest, a stolen vehicle suspect in Burbank is likely counting his blessings after one of the responding officers “unintentionally” fired his service weapon in his direction and pierced the windshield.   The incident, according to the Burbank Police Department, unfolded on Oct. 26 at around 1 a.m. while officers were looking for a white-colored Ford Econoline van stolen near the intersection of Buena Vista and Vanowen streets.   In footage of the incident released by police, responding officers are seen spotting the van at a stoplight less than a half mile away at Buena Vista and Victory Boulevard.   Officers made the decision to box the van in while it was sitting at the stoplight in an attempt to lessen the chance that the suspect driver might attempt to start a pursuit, police said.   A 14-year veteran of the Burbank police department reportedly “unintentionally” fired his gun toward a suspected car thief and fellow officers on Oct. 26, 2024. (BPD) A 14-year veteran of the Burbank police department reportedly “unintentionally” fired his gun toward a suspected car thief and fellow officers on

A suspect was arrested earlier this week after a man was found dead on a busy Pomona road. The suspect was identified as Christian Rubalcaba, 38, according to the Pomona Police Department. On Aug. 24, police responded to reports of a man down on the 2000 block of North Towne Avenue. Arriving officers found the victim, Luis Ernesto Villanueva-Romero, 39, lying face down and unresponsive in the southbound lanes of Towne Avenue. He was transported to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead. Detectives later identified Rubalcaba as the prime suspect in Villanueva-Romero’s death. On Dec. 3, he was located by officers in Montclair where he was taken into custody.  Southern California man arrested in 41-year-old cold case murder Details on the circumstances leading up to Villanueva-Romero’s death and whether the two men knew each other were not released by authorities. On Dec. 5, Rubalcaba was charged with involuntary manslaughter, felon in possession of a firearm, destruction of evidence, and firearm enhancement. The deadly incident remains under investigation. Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to call Pomona Police at 909-622-1241.  Anonymous

Authorities sought the public’s assistance Tuesday in locating a person of interest in the fatal shooting of a 40-year-old woman in Lynwood in September. Deputies responded to the 12500 block of Oak Street on Sept. 15 around 5:40 a.m. to reports regarding shots fired, where Irene Gonzales was discovered lying on the sidewalk with a fatal gunshot wound to her upper body, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Investigators determined that Gonzales had been shot hours earlier at around 1:55 a.m. after getting out of a black Toyota Corolla. “Video evidence revealed that the suspect vehicle, a black 2014-2018 Toyota Corolla with four doors and a sunroof, was traveling along Long Beach Boulevard before turning west on Euclid Avenue and then heading on Oak Street, where it stopped mid-block,” sheriff’s officials said in a statement. Gonzalez got out of the vehicle and was allegedly shot by the driver moments before collapsing on the sidewalk, where she was pronounced dead. The relationship between Gonzalez and the suspect, if any, was unclear. A motive for the shooting has not been determined. The Los Angeles County

Updated on: December 11, 2024 / 9:03 AM EST / CBS/AP A federal judge on Tuesday night rejected the sale of the conspiracy platform Infowars to The Onion satirical news outlet after Alex Jones claimed that a recent bankruptcy auction was fraught with illegal collusion. The Onion was named the winning bidder on Nov. 14 over a company affiliated with Jones. U.S. Bankruptcy Judge Christopher Lopez’s decision means Jones can stay at Infowars in Austin, Texas. The Onion had planned to kick Jones out and relaunch Infowars in January as a parody. At the end of a lengthy two-day hearing in a Texas courtroom, Lopez criticized the auction process as flawed and said the outcome “left a lot of money on the table” for families of victims of the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. “You got to scratch and claw and get everything you can for them,” Lopez said. The Onion offered $1.75 million in cash and other incentives for Infowars’ assets in the auction. First United American Companies, which runs a website in Jones’ name that sells nutritional supplements, bid $3.5 million. Lopez

Illinois man charged with attacking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace Illinois man charged with attacking U.S. Rep. Nancy Mace 00:25 WASHINGTON (CBS) — An Illinois man was arrested Tuesday night on allegations of attacking Republican Rep. Nancy Mace on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C. U.S. Capitol Police said James McIntyre, 33, is facing a charge of assaulting a government official. It was not specified where in Illinois McIntyre was from. Capitol police said they tracked down McIntyre after a member of Congress’ office reported an incident in the Rayburn House Office Building. McIntyre was arrested after an investigative interview, Capitol police said. The Rayburn House Office Building was open at the time of the incident and McIntyre had been through a security screening, Capitol police said. Earlier Tuesday night, the South Carolina congresswoman posted on social media that she was “physically accosted” on Capitol grounds. Mace wrote in the post that she would be able need a brace for her wrist and ice for her arm—but that she would be fine. Mace also insinuated in the post that the attack had something to do with her

Two arrests have been made in the targeted killing of a beloved Woodland Hills doctor earlier this year outside of the clinic where he practiced medicine, officials announced Tuesday.   The victim, Dr. Hamid Mirshojae, 61, was ambushed by a single gunman outside the Warner Plaza Medical Center at Topanga Canyon Boulevard and Oxnard Street at around 5:30 p.m. on Aug. 24 as he was walking to his car.   His killer shot him multiple times before fleeing on foot to a waiting vehicle before police arrived. Witnesses heard gunshots and saw the 61-year-old’s body on the ground in the parking lot. Paramedics declared him dead at the scene.   In a Los Angeles Police Department news release, homicide detectives said two suspects, identified as 41-year-old Tomball, Texas resident Evan Hardman and 40-year-old Reseda resident Rose Sweeting, have been arrested in connection with the targeted attack.   Both were arrested on Dec. 10 — Sweeting in the San Fernando Valley and Hardman in the greater Houston area, for murder, police said.   Ashley Sweeting, 40, of Reseda and Evan Hardman, 41, of Tomball, Texas. (LAPD)

A Chinese national who resides in Brentwood was arrested moments before boarding a flight to China following allegations that he flew a drone over Vandenberg Space Force Base late last month and took photos, officials announced Monday.   According to a news release from the U.S. Department of Justice, Yinpiao Zhou, a 39-year-old Chinese citizen and lawful permanent resident of the U.S., was arrested Dec. 9 at San Francisco International Airport prior to his flight.   Federal investigators said that on Nov. 30, drone detection systems at Vandenberg in Santa Barbara County detected the unmanned aircraft flying at an altitude of nearly a mile above ground level for almost an hour, with launch and return of the drone originating at Ocean Park, a public area near the base.   “Base security personnel went to the park, spoke to Zhou and another person accompanying him, and learned that Zhou had a drone concealed in his jacket – the same one that flew over the base,” the release stated.   In this handout provided by NASA, the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket is seen at Vandenberg Air Force

All it took was half of a quarter and a defensive adjustment for No. 5 USC to seize control against Fresno State Tuesday night. What started as a tight, back-and-forth contest changed halfway through the first quarter when the Trojans deployed a relentless full-court trap. USC held Fresno State (7-4) to 12 points for the rest of the first half. USC continued to smother the Bulldogs’ offense and put the game out of reach early, cruising to an 89-40 victory at Galen Center. “We went to our press, which helps sometimes to generate some easy offense,” USC coach Lindsay Gottlieb said. “I knew the offense would come. We just had to feel out what they were doing, find the soft spots. I think the press got us going.” USC guard JuJu Watkins points toward forward Kiki Iriafen during the Trojans’ win over Fresno State Tuesday at the Galen Center. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press) After the Trojans deployed their press in the first half, they outscored Fresno State 40-12 to take full command of the game by halftime. The Trojans were aided by a 16-0

Los grandes astros del Real Madid se encargaron de darle nueva vida el martes, en el intento por revalidar el título de la Liga de Campeones. El francés Kyliam Mbappé, el brasileño Vinicius Junior y el inglés Jude Bellingham anotaron en la emocionante victoria por 3-2 en casa del Atalanta, líder de la Serie A italiana. Pero el poderoso club español requirió también de algo de suerte. Mateo Retegui disparó frente al arco en los descuentos, con la oportunidad dorada de igualar el cotejo, pero envió el esférico por encima. Fue apenas la tercera victoria del Madrid en la reestructurada primera fase del torneo. El club, 15 veces monarca de Europa, se situó 18vo, un peldaño que permite disputar el repechaje para avanzar a la ronda siguiente. “Es una victoria muy importante. No todo el mundo gana aquí. Sufrimos y competimos. En la Liga de Campeones hay que sufrir”, dijo el técnico del Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti. “Todavía es difícil terminar entre los ocho primeros, pero nos quedan dos partidos para sumar puntos”. Liverpool es líder con un triunfo de 1-0 sobre Girona, que le permitió

A ferocious wildfire fanned by strong winds burned through Malibu on Tuesday, destroying homes, triggering power outages and forcing thousands to evacuate along the coast in the dark while firefighters struggled to contain the flames. The eastern half of Malibu remained under an evacuation order Tuesday. The rest of the city and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County were under an evacuation warning affecting roughly 20,000 people. The blaze, dubbed the Franklin fire, was reported a few minutes before 11 p.m. Monday along Malibu Canyon Road in the hills north of Pepperdine University. Fanned by strong Santa Ana winds, the blaze moved at a fierce pace, exploding to roughly 3,000 acres as of Tuesday night with no containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a news conference Tuesday evening that at least seven structures were destroyed and eight damaged, based on a preliminary aerial survey. Inspection teams have been assigned to the incident and a more accurate account of the destruction is expected tomorrow, he said. More than 1,500 firefighters battled the

Police across U.S. illegally selling firearms Police across the U.S. are illegally selling firearms, CBS News investigation finds 06:24 A group of House Democrats Tuesday called for action from the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, days after CBS News  published an investigation  which found dozens of law enforcement officials illegally sold firearms, even weapons of war, across 23 states, Puerto Rico and Washington, D.C. Democratic Rep. Robert Garcia of California, who serves on both the House Oversight Committee and on the Homeland Security Committee, wrote to ATF Director Steven Dettelbach stating his “grave concerns” over the report that certain law enforcement officers were “exploiting their positions to acquire and illegally distribute firearms.”  Garcia, joined in his letter by Rep. Dan Goldman of New York and Rep. Maxwell Alejandro Frost of Florida, asked the ATF to address a series of questions by Jan. 15, 2025, on serious systemic vulnerabilities exposed by the CBS News investigation. “Reporting suggests that there may be serious systemic vulnerabilities in current machine gun and sawed-off shotgun and rifle regulations and enforcement mechanisms, jeopardizing public safety by enabling the proliferation of dangerous weapons, often

Investigations are underway after a man was shot and killed by police in Buena Park Tuesday. Buena Park police officers responded to reports of a possibly armed suspect who was seen walking on lanes of the 5 Freeway near Artesia Boulevard at around 1 p.m. Authorities spotted the suspect on Artesia Boulevard and, following a confrontation, police opened fire on the man. He was transported to a local hospital where he later died from his injuries. Details are limited and the moments leading up to the deadly shooting were not released. The case remains under investigation by the California Department of Justice and the Buena Park Police Department. “Upon completion of the investigation, it will be turned over to DOJ’s Special Prosecutions Section within the Criminal Law Division for independent review,” said the California Attorney General’s Office. 2 suspects arrested in Orange County fraud scheme investigation The suspect’s name is being withheld pending notification of next of kin.  Anyone who may have witnessed the shooting or has information on the case is encouraged to contact Buena Park Police at 714-562-3978 and ask to speak with

A ferocious wildfire fanned by strong winds burned through Malibu on Tuesday, destroying homes, triggering power outages and forcing thousands to evacuate along the coast in the dark while firefighters struggled to contain the flames. The eastern half of Malibu remained under an evacuation order Tuesday. The rest of the city and portions of unincorporated Los Angeles County were under an evacuation warning affecting roughly 20,000 people. The blaze, dubbed the Franklin fire, was reported a few minutes before 11 p.m. Monday along Malibu Canyon Road in the hills north of Pepperdine University. Fanned by strong Santa Ana winds, the blaze moved at a fierce pace, exploding to roughly 2,850 acres as of Tuesday afternoon with no containment, according to the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection. Los Angeles County Fire Chief Anthony Marrone said during a news conference Tuesday evening that at least seven structures were destroyed and eight damaged, based on a preliminary aerial survey. Inspection teams have been assigned to the incident and a more accurate account of the destruction is expected tomorrow, he said. More than 1,500 firefighters battled the

An LAPD helicopter accident injured two officers during training in Los Alamitos on Tuesday. (KTLA-TV) Two LAPD officers were injured after a helicopter training flight in Los Alamitos ended in an emergency landing, a spokesperson for the department said. Around 1 p.m. Tuesday, a helicopter was conducting training with two officers on board in the 4000 block of Doolittle Avenue in Los Alamitos when “there was a minor training incident that required an emergency landing,” a spokesperson said. An officer told KTLA that the aircraft “experienced a mechanical failure” and made a hard landing, although the LAPD spokesperson said there was no further information regarding the nature of the incident. The incident appeared to have taken place at the Joint Forces Training Base in Los Alamitos, which serves as a joint training site for the National Guard, according to Cal Guard. Cal Guard and local officials at the base did not respond immediately to a Times inquiry about the incident Tuesday evening. Both officers had minor injuries but were not taken to a hospital, according to police. A representative for the Federal Aviation Administration could