Category: Los Angeles

A man injured by a falling street lamp part will receive a settlement of up to $21 million from the city of Los Angeles. In November 2020, Ismael Soto Luna was at the corner of Roscoe Boulevard and Noble Avenue in Van Nuys when a two-pound metal cap from a street lamp struck his head, knocking him to the ground, according to a lawsuit he filed against the city. The impact fractured his skull, and three months later he was diagnosed with a mild traumatic brain injury, the lawsuit said. His condition progressively worsened, and in 2023 he was diagnosed with dementia, according to the lawsuit. City regulations require a street lamp cap “to be secured in place such that the regular forces of nature would not cause it to become loose and fall,” the lawsuit said. Ivor Pine, a spokesperson for the city attorney’s office, did not immediately return a message seeking comment. The City Council approved the settlement Friday. The council also approved other settlements, for a total of more than $40 million. A man who alleged that an LAPD officer in a

SAN DIEGO (Border Report) — During the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more Americans sought medications south of the border in cities such as Tijuana, according to activist Marck Rivera García. He says the pattern continues to this day, but now people from north of the border are seeking cheaper narcotics that are more potent and readily available in Mexico. “Addicts from the United States are crossing the border motivated by the lower cost of drugs,” Rivera García said. “When they come here, they stay for about a week, then they go home for more money only to return to Tijuana for more drugs.” He says some never go back to the U.S., only to end up homeless on the streets of Tijuana. Rivera García works with Tijuana’s homeless and drug users in the Zona Norte, an area that requires only a short walk from the San Ysidro Port of Entry. It’s also a neighborhood notorious for drug use, strip joints and prostitution. “We try to support them with food, keep them from wasting their money on drugs. Some require counseling, a shower or help in

Billy Joel plays 100th show at Madison Square Garden – CBS News Watch CBS News Billy Joel is marking his 100th show of his record-breaking residency at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. He’s played the famed arena since 1978, and Sunday night you can watch his first-ever show to be broadcast on television on CBS. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

House Speaker Mike Johnson visits Trump at Mar-a-Lago – CBS News Watch CBS News House Speaker Mike Johnson traveled to Mar-a-Lago Friday, where he met with former President Donald Trump. Johnson is hoping to get some public support from Trump amid ongoing criticism from some Republicans who claim he is not delivering, and a threat to his speakership from Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene. Robert Costa reports from Palm Beach. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Steve Hartman goes “On the Road” to catch a glimpse of the eclipse – CBS News Watch CBS News This week’s total solar eclipse brought millions of Americans together for a moment of inspiration and awe. That includes CBS’s Steve Hartman and his family in this week’s “On the Road.” Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

When it comes to the fiercely political British director Ken Loach’s latest film, “The Old Oak,” a bit of classic Hollywood promotional language comes to mind: Ken Loach is “The Old Oak.” Because seemingly forever, the sturdiest, tallest figure in the cinema of working-class struggle has been Loach, the man behind such raw, forthright classics as “Kes,” “Riff-Raff,” “The Wind That Shakes the Barley,” “I, Daniel Blake” and “Sorry We Missed You.” If this is the final round for the 87-year-old filmmaker, he’s going out with a protest sign in one hand and a pint in the other. That’s because “The Old Oak,” written by longtime collaborator Paul Laverty and named for the last remaining pub in a downtrodden town in northeast England, shows Loach no less committed to the cause but also as faith-filled as he’s ever been. It’s 2016 when we enter the story via black-and-white photographs of a busload of displaced Syrians, mostly mothers, children and the elderly, being dropped off in the mining town of Durham, the film’s audio dominated by locals loudly and bigotedly condemning their arrival. When the film

Just hours after Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, surrendered to authorities Friday on charges that he stole more than $16 million from the Dodgers’ two-way star, Ohtani himself said he was ready to return to just focusing on baseball. “I’m very grateful for the Department of Justice’s investigation,” Ohtani said in Japanese. “For me personally, this marks a break from this, and I’d like to focus on baseball.” Ohtani’s comments Friday were the first he has made publicly regarding the allegations against Mizuhara since a news conference late last month, when Ohtani first accused his longtime friend and interpreter of secretly stealing money from one of his personal bank accounts to pay off gambling losses Mizuhara had accumulated with an alleged illegal bookmaker in Orange County. On Friday, Ohtani declined to answer further questions from a Times reporter about the situation. The 29-year-old slugger was in the Dodgers’ lineup for Friday night’s game, serving as the designated hitter from his customary No. 2 spot in the batting order. Ohtani’s initial story — that he had no knowledge of the wire transfers Mizuhara made from his

Warning: The following contains spoilers for “Civil War.” America has been shattered in “Civil War.” An armed alliance between Texas and California known as the Western Forces is on the verge of recapturing a besieged capital. A team of journalists heads from New York City to Washington, D.C., in hopes of landing one last interview with the president, an illegal third-termer gone rogue. As they make their journey, Lee (Kirsten Dunst), a veteran photojournalist who has witnessed conflicts all over the world, reluctantly takes the inexperienced young Jessie (Cailee Spaeny) under her wing. Lee sees something of herself in Jessie and wants to spare her younger counterpart the disillusionment and dismay she has come to feel. All the work she has done has seemingly led to nothing, as the nation rushes headlong into a hopeless endgame. Written and directed by Alex Garland, whose previous work includes the pessimistic, dystopian tales “Ex Machina” and “Annihilation,” the film walks a razor’s edge, careful not to tip to one political perspective or another. Often it is unclear who is fighting on which side, as a hypnotic frenzy seems

Police arrested a man in San Diego suspected of clubbing two women from behind in separate incidences near the Venice canals Saturday night. The arrest of Anthony Jones, 29, for the assault of the two women was announced Friday in front of the Los Angeles Police Department’s Pacific Division Station. Los Angeles City Councilmember Traci Park, whose district includes Venice, took part in announcing the arrest. The attacks had a “sexual element” to them, said police commander Steven Lurie, who declined to provide further information. The police have not released the identity of the victims. But one of the victims spoke to The Times from a hospital where she was recovering from at least eight fractures to her jaw, a large laceration to the back of the head and contusions on her face and neck. She told The Times that after work on Saturday night she went for a walk to reach her daily 10,000-steps goal when she was struck from behind. The Times does not identify victims of sexual assault “It’s usually a very safe neighborhood, nice neighborhood and there are typically people around,”

April 12, 2024 / 7:13 PM EDT / AP Sam Wasson on new Francis Ford Coppola book Author Sam Wasson explores the life and vision of filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola in new book 07:38 Eleanor Coppola, who documented the making of some of her husband Francis Ford Coppola’s iconic films, including the infamously tortured production of “Apocalypse Now,” and who raised a family of filmmakers, has died. She was 87. Coppola died Friday surrounded by family at home in Rutherford, California, her family announced in a statement. Representatives of the family also confirmed the death in an email to CBS News. No cause of death was given. Film director Francis Ford Coppola and his wife Eleanor Coppola attend the 94th annual Oscars at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, California on March 27, 2022. ANGELA WEISS/AFP via Getty Images Eleanor, who grew up in Orange County, California, met Francis while working as an assistant art director on his directorial debut, the Roger Corman-produced 1963 horror film “Dementia 13.” She had studied design at UCLA. Within months of dating, Eleanor became pregnant, and the couple were wed

By Julie Sharp Updated on: April 12, 2024 / 6:24 PM EDT / KCAL News CBS News Live CBS News Los Angeles Live One day after Shohei Ohtani’s ex-interpreter was charged with bank fraud for stealing $16 million from the Japanese baseball star, he was released on $25,000 bond after making his first, brief Los Angeles court appearance.  Ippei Mizuhara had surrendered to federal authorities Friday morning. He did not enter a plea during his court appearance. The Dodgers superstar accused his interpreter, Ippei Mizuhara, of massive theft and a federal investigation uncovered that funds were stolen to cover Mizuhara’s gambling debts, and the amount is much greater than what was first reported to be “at least $4.5 million.” “According to the complaint, Mr. Mizuhara stole this money, largely to finance his voracious appetite for illegal sports betting,” U.S. Attorney Martin Estrada said at an April 11 news conference. While questions lingered if Ohtani was involved, or knew of the betting, he denied it, and federal law enforcement officials call Ohtani a victim. Serving as Ohtani’s interpreter and right-hand man, Mizuhara set up a bank

Marcus Eriz, the Costa Mesa man who claimed not to understand why he fired the bullet from his car that killed a 6-year-old boy in 2021, received a sentence of 40 years to life in prison on Friday. Orange County Superior Court Judge Richard King rejected a defense attorney’s plea for leniency on the basis of Eriz’s age — he was 24 at the time of the shooting — as well as the argument that Eriz had suffered childhood trauma. King said he could find no connection between the defendant’s alleged trauma — left unspecified in courtroom arguments — and his decision to fire his Glock 17 on the freeway into the car the boy was riding in. “The defendant didn’t commit any crimes until this particular day,” King said. “There was no impulse until this particular day.” Eriz was in the passenger seat of a Volkswagen on May 21, 2021, with his girlfriend Wynne Lee at the wheel and his loaded, customized gun within easy reach. He claimed he kept it with him because people had been “acting crazy” on the freeways. They were

The hazards of remaking a beloved film are well known. While the 1991 comedy “Don’t Tell Mom the Babysitter’s Dead,” starring Christina Applegate, didn’t exactly thrill critics 33 years ago, it’s become a cult classic, especially for elder millennials who grew up on the movie. It’s the ideal text for a remake: The source material isn’t regarded as untouchable, the name recognition is high and it can be easily adapted to a modern milieu while still stoking childhood memories for those who love the original. Nostalgia can be a trap, one that writer Chuck Hayward and director Wade Allain-Marcus fortunately sidestep. There are enough nods to the first film to please fans looking for Easter eggs, but they don’t get in the way of the story itself, a teen comedy that keeps it real, despite the heightened circumstances. They also update the family from white to Black, which brings a different layer of stakes to the situation. After their mother (Patricia “Ms. Pat” Williams) suffers a nervous breakdown at work, the Crandell siblings are left in the care of a Mrs. Sturak (June Squibb), a

Roberto Cavalli, whose fashions have been a red-carpet staple for decades, has died, the company bearing the designer’s name announced Friday. He was 83. Cavalli died Friday in Florence, Italy, where he was born and where he made his home. He had been ill for some time and his health had worsened in recent days, Italian news agency ANSA reported. “It is with great sadness that today we say our final goodbyes to our founder Robert Cavalli,” the company said in a statement Friday on Instagram. “From humble beginnings in Florence Roberto succeeded in becoming a globally recognised name loved and respected by all. Naturally talented and creative, Roberto believed that everyone can discover and nurture the artist within themselves. Roberto Cavalli’s legacy will live on via his creativity, his love of nature and via his family who he cherished.” Beyoncé, Zendaya, Lady Gaga, Ciara, Priyanka Chopra, Nicole Kidman, Bella Hadid, Naomi Campbell, Kim Kardashian and Rita Ora are among the celebrities who have worn Cavalli designs, preceded by the likes of Sophia Loren and Brigitte Bardot. Christina Aguilera and Jennifer Lopez sought him for

“The Talk” will come to an end in December after 14 years and 15 seasons on the air. The popular CBS daytime talk show will have an abbreviated 15th season, concluding with a “celebratory sendoff.” Amy Reisenbach, president of CBS Entertainment, and David Stapf, president of CBS Studios, said in a joint statement on Friday that the show “broke new ground” when it premiered and commended the long-running series. “Throughout the years, it has been a key program on CBS’ top-rated daytime lineup as it brought timely, important and entertaining topics and discussions into living rooms around the globe,” the statement read. “It goes without saying that hosting and producing a year-round talk show is no easy task,” the statement continued, “and we express our sincere gratitude to our amazing hosts Akbar Gbajabiamila, Amanda Kloots, Natalie Morales, Jerry O’Connell and Sheryl Underwood, our Executive Producer/Showrunner Rob Crabbe and the hardworking producing team and crew.” The show’s official Instagram page announced that the program would return this fall for its final season. Kloots and O’Connell chimed in via the comments section. Kloots wrote, “Love this job

Movie theaters need more movies. Will they ever get enough to truly thrive again? That was the central question overhanging CinemaCon 2024, the annual convention bringing together Hollywood studios and multiplex operators in Las Vegas this week. Exhibitors pleaded with the major studios to release more films of varying budgets on the big screen, while studios made the case that their upcoming slates are robust enough to keep them in business. Once again, CinemaCon, where studios trot out executives and movie stars to pitch their upcoming blockbusters, arrived at a particularly challenging time for the film industry. After weathering a devastating pandemic that shut down theaters for months, two of the most essential parts of the Hollywood machine, writers and actors, went on strike. The work stoppages — which lasted a combined six months — prompted the leading entertainment companies to push a number of titles to 2025 from 2024, disrupting the supply chain and sparking widespread anxiety in the exhibition community. Box office revenue in the U.S. and Canada is expected to total about $8.5 billion, which is down from $9 billion in 2023

A new Universal theme park may be coming to the United Kingdom and the entertainment and attractions giant is asking Britons for their input. Last year, Universal purchased a 476-acre parcel of land outside of Bedford, England, about 55 miles north of London, to explore the possibility of building a new theme park and resort. It would not only be the first Universal theme park in the U.K., but the first in all of Europe. Over the last several months, the company says it’s been researching the feasibility of such a project and discussing it with local and national stakeholders. This photo shows proposed ‘zones’ that could make up a possible Universal Studios theme park in the United Kingdom. (Universal) While the project remains just an idea at this time, Universal is now asking for the public to chime in with their opinions on how a potential park might affect their lives and how the company could best honor and celebrate the region in a respectful manner. “We have started a public engagement period on our potential theme park and resort experience in Bedford,” a

By Megan Cerullo Edited By Anne Marie Lee April 12, 2024 / 6:11 PM EDT / CBS News Why “loud budgeting” is becoming a trend Why “loud budgeting” is becoming a trend on social media 02:54 As tax day approaches, TikTok creators are dolling out filing tips , including suggestions about what kinds of purchases to write off. But financial professionals caution against following advice proliferating on the social media platform that might be unsound.  Among the most visible, but flawed pieces of advice are claims that taxpayers can write off their pets as business expenses, or hire one’s own kids for a tax refund.  The Internal Revenue Service has also cautioned taxpayers against interpreting dubious social media advice as legitimate, saying that following wrong advice could potentially lead to fines. “The IRS warns taxpayers to be wary of trusting internet advice, whether it’s a fraudulent tactic promoted by scammers or it’s a patently false tax-related scheme trending across popular social media platforms,” the agency said.  Mara Derderian, a professor of finance at Bryant University, said that while it is good that social media creators are

Greenhouse gas emissions reached record levels in 2023 – CBS News Watch CBS News Greenhouse gas emissions continued increasing in 2023, according to new data from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. CBS News’ Elaine Quijano breaks down the numbers and what they mean for the climate. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Hidden costs of owning a home are rising – CBS News Watch CBS News Homeowners are paying around $15,000 per year on top of their mortgage, according to data from Bankrate. Greg McBride, the chief financial analyst for Bankrate, joins CBS News with a look at the rising costs of owning a home. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Filmmaker Jon M. Chu, National Endowment for the Arts chair Maria Rosario Jackson, tennis legend Billie Jean King; and National Academy of Sciences President Marcia McNutt will all receive honorary degrees at USC’s 141st commencement ceremony in May, the university announced Friday. Chu will also be the commencement speaker. The honorary degrees will be presented by USC President Carol Folt during the May 10 ceremony at Alumni Memorial Park. The honorees were chosen by a committee of students and faculty. Chu is a director and producer best known for his 2018 film “Crazy Rich Asians,” and he is also behind the upcoming theatrical version of the Broadway smash “Wicked.” He is an alum of the USC School of Cinematic Arts and also funds a scholarship benefiting students whose projects focus on Asian Pacific culture. Jackson, who has master’s and bachelor’s degrees from USC, is the first Black and Mexican-American woman to lead the NEA. She previously served on the National Council on the Arts, to which she was appointed by President Barack Obama. King is regarded as one of the greatest tennis players of all