Category: Los Angeles

Beyoncé told us 10 days before she dropped “Cowboy Carter”: It’s not a country album. It’s a Beyoncé album. The singles from the album, “Texas Hold ‘Em” and “16 Carriages,” and its rodeo-chic aesthetic certainly gave the impression that the album would be pure country, but the final product, which the star released at the stroke of midnight on Friday, is a genre-defying wonder. Featuring collaborations with country legends including Willie Nelson and Dolly Parton, Beyoncé uses the album to both honor classic country music and redefine what the genre sounds and looks like. Here are the biggest takeaways from “Cowboy Carter”: The significance of the ‘Blackbird’ cover The second song on the album is a stirring rendition of the Beatles classic “Blackbird,” featuring four up-and-coming Black female country artists: Brittney Spencer, Reyna Roberts, Tanner Adell and Tiera Kennedy. While the song is one the Beatles’ most well-known tunes, its meaning and inspiration is lesser known. Paul McCartney has said that he was inspired by the civil rights movement of the ‘60s, and specifically, by the Little Rock Nine — the first Black students to

Beyoncé has been crowned rodeo queen. The Houston-born superstar on Friday released her eighth studio album, “Cowboy Carter,” the second act in an album trilogy conceived during the COVID-19 lockdown. The first act, 2022’s “Renaissance,” explored the forgotten Black and queer roots of house music but was not supposed to precede her genre-busting foray into country music. Originally, the 42-year-old singer intended to release “Cowboy Carter” before “Renaissance.” But she switched the order because “there was too much heaviness in the world,” she said in a press release. “We wanted to dance. We deserved to dance.” With the arrival of “Cowboy Carter,” billed as a “multi-genre nod to Americana country culture,” came a chorus of praise from traditional country and country crossover artists — including several featured on the album. Miley Cyrus, who served as a collaborator on the guitar ballad “II Most Wanted,” expressed her admiration for the 32-time Grammy winner in an Instagram post Friday. “I’ve loved Beyoncé since long before I had the opportunity to meet & work with her,” Cyrus wrote. “My admiration runs so much deeper now that I’ve created

The city of San Bernardino has settled a lawsuit filed by the family of a man who was killed by police in a July 2022 shooting that made national headlines. Robert Marquise Adams, 23, was shot and killed by police on the evening of July 16, 2022, in a parking lot on the 400 Block of West Highland Avenue. Video released from the San Bernardino Police Department shortly after the deadly shooting showed officers pull into the parking lot, which they said was adjacent to an illegal gambling operation, when they were approached by Adams. A photo shared by the San Bernardino Police Department shows the moments before a deadly police shooting on July 16, 2022, that left Robert Adams dead. (San Bernardino Police Department) Police said Adams was armed with a handgun and approached their vehicle, a characterization that some members of his family disagreed with, alleging that he was unarmed. The officers, who the Police Department said were uniformed, can then be seen getting out of the unmarked vehicle, leading to Adams to turn and run. He hid behind two vehicles when one

Joe Lieberman’s legacy honored by Al Gore, others at funeral service in Connecticut – CBS News Watch CBS News Former Vice President Al Gore and other politicians attended a funeral service in Connecticut for former Sen. Joe Lieberman, who died Wednesday at 82. Gore remembered Lieberman, his former running in the 2000 presidential election, as a great friend who was “ready to look for ways to bridge divisions.” CBS congressional correspondent Scott MacFarlane takes a look at Lieberman’s life and legacy. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Wall Street Journal marks 1 year since Evan Gershkovich’s detention in Russia – CBS News Watch CBS News Friday marks one year since Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich was detained in Russia. The newspaper published a blank section on the cover of the Friday’s paper with a headline that reads, “His story should be here,” in support of Gershkovich. Paul Beckett, the assistant editor at The Wall Street Journal, joined CBS News to discuss Gershkovich’s detention and the latest on the efforts to release him. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Biden’s NYC fundraiser with Obama, Clinton rakes in record $26 million for campaign – CBS News Watch CBS News Former Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton joined President Biden for a fundraiser at New York City’s Radio City Music Hall on Thursday night. The Biden campaign says the event raked in more than $26 million, the most money raised during a single political fundraiser in history. CBS News political director Fin Gómez recaps the event. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Democrat who flipped Alabama House seat says pro-abortion rights campaign was “deeply personal” – CBS News Watch CBS News A Democrat who flipped a seat in Alabama’s legislature after campaigning on reproductive rights is opening up about her victory. Marilyn Lands defeated Republican Teddy Powell in Tuesday’s special election for a state House seat. CBS News political campaign reporter Shawna Mizelle interviewed Lands and has more on her win. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

A gas leak in Palm Desert prompted residents in the area of Portola Avenue to shelter-in-place for almost two hours Friday as crews mitigated the leak. Fire crews responded at 11:44 a.m. Friday to a report of a gas leak in the 45600 block of Portola Avenue, according to the Riverside County Fire Department. The SoCalGas Company and Riverside County Sheriff’s Department also responded to the scene. A shelter-in-place was issued for residents on the west side of Portola Avenue and occupants in a church on the east side the road, fire officials said. Additionally, Portola Avenue between Mountain Shadow Drive and Fairway Drive was closed as gas company crews worked on the leak. By 1:23 p.m., the hazard was mitigated and the shelter-in-place was lifted, fire officials said, but residents were advised to use caution in the area as gas company crews continue working in the area.

Federal investigators are seeking telecommunications records involving Sean “Diddy” Combs as part of an investigation into alleged sex trafficking, a source close to the investigation told The Times. The news comes several days after the Department of Homeland Security served search warrants at Combs’ Los Angeles and Miami estates. The hip-hop mogul has denied any wrongdoing in the sweeping investigation, which includes multiple lawsuits in recent months alleging sexual assault and harassment. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly, said investigators also have requested flight records linked to Combs. The musical artist remains in the U.S., according to sources with knowledge of the situation, who said Combs was scheduled on Monday to depart by plane for a spring break vacation with his school-age daughters but delayed the trip after learning of the searches. He still has his passport, they added. He was spotted playing golf with two of his daughters at a driving range in the Miami area Thursday night, according to reports by the Daily Mail. But Homeland Security agents on Monday stopped a plane

Sorry, Swifties: That sought-after Beyoncé-Taylor Swift collaboration isn’t anywhere to be found on “Cowboy Carter.” As Beyoncé delivered her eighth solo album late Thursday, fans set social media ablaze, reacting to and sharing theories about the release’s 27 tracks. Among the “Cowboy Carter” fan claims that went viral on Friday was speculation that fellow superstar Swift lent her vocals to the album, specifically on the eighth track, “Bodyguard.” Early Friday morning, an audio clip of someone singing backup on the Beyoncé song made the rounds on X (formerly Twitter), sending fans searching for confirmation. “Is it realllll????,” one X user replied to the snippet. “That ahhhhhh part does sound like her lowkey ugh,” another user observed Friday. Some fans of the “Anti-Hero” singer were incredulous, but a screenshot allegedly from the lyric website Genius further fueled the frenzy. “TAYLOR SWIFT IS CREDITED AS BACKING VOCALS ON BEYONCE’S SONG BODY GUARD,” X user @allswifted captioned a photo of the screenshot. According to the screenshot, Genius had given Swift credit for background vocals. A community note was later added to the @allswifted tweet, clarifying that the “general

One California city was named the richest retirement town nationwide, according to a March study from Go Banking Rates. Rancho Palos Verdes, a coastal community near Torrance, Lomita and San Pedro in Southern California, was named the “richest” retirement community, boasting a median household income of $166,747. New California bill seeks to lower speed limits in school zones To determine the ranking, researchers at the personal finance website look at American cities with a minimum population of 15,000, of which at least 25% of residents are aged 65 or older. One city from Florida, one of the more popular states for retirees nationwide, had only one city within the top 10, while California had four. These are the top 10 richest retirement towns in the U.S. Ranchos Palos Verdes, California Highland Park, Illinois Bainbridge Island, Washington East Honolulu, Hawaii Melville, New York Laguna Beach, California Paramus, New Jersey Naples, Florida Walnut Creek, California Cerritos, California To retire in a California city like Rancho Palos Verdes, retirees would need at least $1.4 million for 25 years of retirement or $1.7 million for 30 years. On average

Parking at the Hollywood Bowl is already tough, and it’s about to get much worse once its concert season begins. The outdoor amphitheater revealed that concertgoers can no longer park in Lots B and C because those have been transformed into transportation hubs. The lots are located on opposite sides of North Highland Avenue. The hubs are to “streamline rideshare, bus and shuttle traffic,” reports the Los Angeles Times. However, the venue did clarify that Lot B will be available for ADA Accessible parking. Lot C will be used just for rideshares. The Times crunched the numbers and found that the closure means about 350 spots will no longer be available. The Bowl’s seating capacity is 17,500. The L.A. Phil’s Interim CEO Daniel Song told the outlet that the move was meant to manage traffic around the venue during events. “People don’t like getting to the Bowl, but everyone loves the Bowl,” he explained. “So if there’s a barrier (for) someone to be able to come to the Bowl, we’re going to try to fix that and we’re going to try to mitigate that as

California is one of only 12 states where sports gambling remains illegal. We are down to just a dozen where you cannot turn your phone into a handheld version of the sportsbook at the Bellagio and bet your savings in an instant on whether LeBron James will get more or fewer than eight rebounds. Americans wagered a record $119.84 billion on legal sports betting in 2023 , but California should continue to hold the line and just say no to what has become the most popular game in town. The sports betting companies want nothing more than to check the state off their list of holdouts, but their wants are a world away from California’s needs. There is an ugly underbelly to the sportsbooks’ mega-profits, the leagues’ collusion and the states that collect taxes. It has been showing up particularly among the young. A youth gambling epidemic has exploded since the Supreme Court, with urging from the NBA, decided in 2018 to allow states to legalize sports betting. For ensnared teenagers (it’s illegal for minors to bet but hard to enforce) and young people, gambling

Climate change and extreme weather have contributed to catastrophic fires that destroyed thousands of California homes in recent years — and an insurance crisis that could result in the biggest set of regulatory changes since the passage of Proposition 103 in 1988. Insurers have pulled back from the homeowners market, leading to a flurry of activity in Sacramento aimed at making coverage available and affordable for at-risk residents in places like the Santa Monica Mountains and Malibu. Here’s what’s going on — and some steps homeowners can take now to lessen the blow. How big a deal is this really? The crisis reached new heights last week when leading insurer State Farm General announced that it wouldn’t renew 72,000 property owner policies statewide, joining Farmers, Allstate and other companies in either not writing or limiting new policies or tightening underwriting standards. The companies are blaming wildfires, inflation that raised reconstruction costs, higher prices for reinsurance they buy to boost their balance sheets and protect themselves from catastrophes, as well as outdated state regulations — claims disputed by some consumer advocates. How is this pullback affecting

Three years ago, I honestly hoped I would never have to write, or even think much, about Donald Trump ever again. Three years ago, the then-still-sitting president made his despotic intentions clear to the world by sending a mob, in which many were armed, to the Capitol to prevent the ratification of a fair and legal election that he lost. The mob became violent. Many of those involved have since been sentenced to prison. Twitter shut down Trump’s account — once a lifeline to his supporters — and he fled to Mar-a-Lago. Where many wished he would stay for the rest of his life. It was as if I had never seen a movie, watched a television show or read a book. If popular culture has taught us nothing else, it is that villains, even those caught and banished from the lands they would subjugate, always return: Michael Myers, Thanos, the Joker, Emperor Palpatine, “Doctor Who’s” the Master and, of course, J.R.R. Tolkien’s uber-villain, Sauron, who was spectacularly defeated by Isildur only to rise again and attempt to control all of Middle-earth once more. Just

A former Orange County public school official has pleaded guilty to embezzling nearly $16 million from a district where most students are classified as economically disadvantaged. Jorge Armando Contreras used the money he stole from the Magnolia School District to finance a lavish lifestyle, including a $1.5-million house in Yorba Linda, a $127,000 BMW and $190,000 in cosmetic surgery, according to federal prosecutors. Contreras, 53, of Yorba Linda, pleaded guilty on Thursday to a single felony charge of embezzlement, theft, and intentional misapplication of federal funds, which could bring up to 10 years in prison. Authorities have seized $7.7 million in assets from him, including the Yorba Linda home, the BMW, dozens of Louis Vuitton designer bags and bottles of the luxury tequila Clase Azul Ultra. A photo obtained from court records shows former Orange County school official Jorge Armando Contreras, who is accused of embezzling millions over seven years from the district that employed him. (U.S. District Court) In 2006, Contreras was hired by the Magnolia School District, which serves 5,300 preschool-to-sixth-grade students in Anaheim and Stanton, 81% of whom are classified as socioeconomically

Daphne Joy, a model embroiled in a custody battle with ex-boyfriend 50 Cent, accused the rapper of rape after he trolled her over being labeled a sex worker in a lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs. The G-unit emcee promptly denied the accusation. The lawsuit, brought by Combs’ “Love Album: Off the Grid” producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones, named Joy and others in a 105-page complaint full of illicit allegations about Combs and several associates. The federal suit was first filed in February, then amended this week amid bicoastal raids at Diddy’s Holmby Hills and Miami mansions that were part a federal probe into Diddy regarding sex-trafficking allegations. It has pulled son Justin Dior Combs, the bosses of major record labels, Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr., Prince Harry and other notable industry figures into its wake. “Sean Combs bragged about having several women on a monthly stipend … to work as Mr. Combs’ sex workers,” Jones’ lawsuit said, identifying Daphne Joy, Combs’ ex-girlfriend Yung Miami and Instagram model Jade Ramey as the women who received those payments. Jones’ $30-million sexual harassment lawsuit, filed in U.S District

A Dignity Health hospital in the Los Angeles area is asking for the public’s help to identify an unconscious man who has been hospitalized for more than a week. This unidentified man has been hospitalized since March 19, 2024. (Dignity Health) The man was found on March 19 at the intersection of Pacific Coast Highway and Golden Avenue in Long Beach following a report of a pedestrian being struck by a vehicle. He was transported to a nearby Dignity Health hospital where he’s remained since. Officials would not release details about his injuries or which hospital he was receiving treatment at, citing HIPAA laws. Officials for the health care company say the man has no documentation or evidence on his person that can identify him and they are hoping the public may be able to shed some light on his identity. He’s described as a Hispanic man in his late 30s with black hair and brown eyes. He’s about 240 pounds and stands around 5 feet 9 inches. Additionally, he has several tattoos across his body including large tattoos across his chest and arms. His

The chair of the Los Angeles County Democratic Party has announced he’s stepping down from the position to focus on a state Assembly run. Mark Gonzalez, who won the California State Assembly District 54 primary election earlier this month, announced the decision Friday after more than six years leading Democrats in L.A. “Serving as your party Chair for the largest County Central Committee in the nation has been the privilege of a lifetime,” he said in a statement. “As I embark on the next phase of my journey, with a focus now on ensuring that Sacramento continues to create policy that works for all, the work we have done together will forever remain close to my heart. With that focus in mind and to ensure our party’s continuity of leadership and continued success, I am stepping down as Chair effective immediately.” He said Vice-Chair Patt Sanders will temporarily lead the party in the county. Gonzalez, who took over the role in 2017 at the age of 33, was both the youngest and first Latino to serve as chair of the L.A. Democrats. He’ll shift his

Disneyland guests will still be able to get funnel cakes, chicken sandwiches, and cheeseburgers at the Hungry Bear Restaurant while Critter Country is closed. The historic restaurant is slated to remain open as construction walls go up around Critter Country, one of the lands within Disneyland, officials confirmed to KTLA. A representative from the Disneyland Resort said that additional operation details pertaining to the restaurant, should they be needed, will also be shared. Anaheim to host Disneyland Forward ‘informational open house’ ahead of city council vote Disneyland’s Critter Country area will temporarily close beginning on May 1 as officials work to reimagine two retail shops. Briar Patch and the left-hand side of Pooh Corner will be reimagined into Ray’s Berets and Louis’ Critter Club, respectively. The theme of the new shops was inspired by Walt Disney Animation Studios’ ‘The Princess and the Frog’ animated feature. The announcement of new retail shops came as crews continue to work on Tiana’s Bayou Adventure, formerly known as Splash Mountain. The reimagined attraction is slated to open later this year at Disneyland and Walt Disney World in Florida. New

A Los Angeles police officer was taken to a local hospital after a driver intentionally crashed into a patrol SUV in the South Park neighborhood of Los Angeles Friday, authorities said. The incident took place during a traffic stop at the intersection of East 45th and Wall streets around 11:15 a.m., the Los Angeles Police Department posted on X, formerly Twitter. Police said the “driver intentionally placed the car in reverse and struck one of the officers.” A damaged Patrol SUV is seen following a crash in South Los Angeles on March 29, 2024. (KTLA) Aerial video from Sky5 showed the rear end of a white four-door SUV embedded in the grill of an LAPD cruiser. One officer was taken to a local hospital. There was no immediate word on the officer’s condition or what types of injuries were sustained. A perimeter was established to search for the driver who fled the vehicle after the crash. Big rig travels 10 miles in wrong direction on Southern California freeway Video showed a second person, possibly a female, sitting on a curb while apparently being detained by