Category: Los Angeles

The Los Angeles Dodgers made some major investments over the winter, committing more than $1 billion to a pair of Japanese superstars, but it appears it won’t take long for the club to recover the costs. In the ticket-selling giant’s annual Major League Baseball season preview, StubHub said the Dodgers are the most in-demand team in the league for 2024 — beating out the New York Yankees, the team that has been #1 for four years out of the last six. The Dodgers were 8th on the same list last season. The Atlanta Braves, who have similar World Series ambitions to L.A., placed third while the Philadelphia Phillies and Chicago Cubs rounded out the top five. Mookie Betts #50 of the Los Angeles Dodgers is greeted in the dugout after hitting a solo home run in the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Dodger Stadium on July 4, 2023 in Los Angeles, California. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) The Dodgers’ home opener against the St. Louis Cardinals on Thursday is the most sought-after ticket on MLB’s Opening Day this year, according to StubHub. The cheapest pair

Parents of students at the University of California Berkeley have reportedly hired private security for their children, prompting consternation from school officials. According to a report in the Los Angeles Times, the program SafeBears acted as unarmed security for the students for a 17-day period, though the ambassadors on foot and on bicycles did not coordinate with campus police. SafeBears, which ended on Saturday, paid six guards a total of about $42,000 to patrol at night near student housing and south of campus in response to increases in some types of crimes, including property crimes, the Times reported. SafeBears founder Sagar Jethani and other concerned parents hope their efforts will lead the school to start its own ambassador program. “We’re rather hoping the school will eliminate the need for us to continue doing this by just putting its own program in place as they ought to have by now,” Jethani told the Times. But in a statement to the Times, school officials indicated they’d prefer more police officers, not security ambassadors. “Parents who want to donate funds toward additional campus security can do so via

Former Los Angeles Deputy Mayor Raymond Chan was found guilty Wednesday of racketeering, bribery, fraud and giving false statements to investigators in a sprawling corruption case targeting pay-to-play schemes at City Hall. The federal jury reached the verdict less than 24 hours after lawyers finished closing arguments. Sentencing is set for June 10. Chan’s attorney, John Hanusz, told the judge that Chan will be filing an appeal. “This case was, and always has been, about Jose Huizar,” Hanusz said. Prosecutors did not immediately comment after the verdict was read. Chan’s first trial on charges of racketeering, bribery, honest services fraud and lying to federal investigators was derailed after his lawyer, Harland Braun, was hospitalized and unable to return to work for months. A judge declared a mistrial in April. In the second trial, Assistant U.S. Atty. Brian R. Faerstein told jurors that Chan and former City Councilmember Jose Huizar used the downtown real estate boom of the prior decade to enrich themselves and their allies. Faerstein described Chan as a crucial intermediary between Chinese developers looking to build downtown high-rises and Huizar, who headed the

Walt Disney Co. has settled a lawsuit with the Gov. Ron DeSantis-appointed board that governs the area encompassing Walt Disney World in Florida, drawing to a close an acrimonious battle between the Burbank entertainment giant and the one-time presidential candidate. The feud began in 2022, when Disney criticized Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” anti-LGBTQ legislation after mounting pressure from its employees. DeSantis struck back against the company by overtaking the special district that governs land development in and around the Walt Disney World resort, replacing a board that was essentially controlled by Disney and functioned almost as its own municipal government. The entity, formerly known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District, was renamed the Central Florida Tourism Oversight District and populated by DeSantis allies, but in the final hours of the previous board’s tenure, Disney executed an agreement that would essentially allow the new district powers over only the most basic infrastructure. The district then filed a lawsuit against Disney in state court to invalidate the deal. As part of Wednesday’s settlement agreement, Disney agreed “not to challenge” the district’s assertion that the agreement reached

One week before a highly anticipated shareholder vote, Walt Disney Co. sustained another blow as a second advisory firm recommended that investors elect billionaire Nelson Peltz to the entertainment giant’s board of directors. Peltz, the Trian Fund Management founder, has gained steam in the closing weeks of his proxy campaign against Disney’s board. On Wednesday, advisory firm Egan-Jones recommended that investors dump two longtime Disney board members — Maria Elena Lagomasino and Michael B.G. Froman — to make room for Peltz and his running mate, former Disney executive Jay Rasulo. Last week, the influential Institutional Shareholder Services Inc. recommended Disney investors elect Peltz to the board but withheld an endorsement for Rasulo. Earlier, a major proxy advisory firm, Glass Lewis, recommended that shareholders vote for Disney’s slate of 12 director nominees, rejecting both Peltz and Rasulo as well as three candidates running on a competing slate from Blackwells Capital. The contentious proxy campaign has become the latest headache for Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger. In contrast to his first tenure, Iger has rushed to contain one brush fire to the next since he returned to

The Los Angeles City Ethics Commission has privately accused City Councilmember Curren Price of voting on a number of matters in which his wife had a financial interest, echoing charges filed last year by L.A. County prosecutors, according to two sources with knowledge of the situation. The commission, which has the power to enforce conflict-of-interest laws, notified Price of the accusations last week, according to the sources, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to speak publicly about the matter. One of the sources said the filing accuses Price of 21 violations of the city’s ethics laws, many of them similar to those filed by Los Angeles County Dist. Atty. George Gascón against Price last year. In the criminal case, Price is accused of voting to support projects for developers that had done business with a consulting company founded by his wife, Del Richardson Price, who specialized in tenant relocation services. He faces five counts of embezzlement, two counts of conflict of interest and three counts of perjury. The allegations from the Ethics Commission mostly involve violations of conflict-of-interest laws or the council member’s

Taylor Swift’s father, Scott Swift, won’t face charges in Australia after allegedly punching a photographer who tried to snap a photo of his daughter when she was in Sydney for her Eras tour late last month. “Officers attached to North Shore Police Area Command have conducted an investigation following a report of an assault at Neutral Bay Wharf about 2:30 AM on Tuesday 27 February 2024,” New South Wales Police confirmed to The Times on Wednesday. “No further police action will be taken in relation to this matter,” the spokesperson said. At the time, police were told that a 71-year-old man allegedly assaulted a 51-year-old man at the wharf. The younger man reported the incident, which launched inquiries by local officers. The 71-year-old man was Scott Swift, affectionately dubbed “Papa Swift” by the pop star’s legion of fans, and the 51-year-old was photographer Ben McDonald, who told police he was punched in the face by Swift’s father at the Neutral Bay Wharf. McDonald accused the superstar’s entourage of being “aggressive and unprofessional.” He also told CNN that one of Swift’s security guards forced an umbrella

Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman was at his alma mater in Orange County before Tuesday’s game against the crosstown Angels to open a brand new clubhouse the seven-time all-star helped fund. Freeman donated $500,000 toward the $1.6 million project at El Modena High School in Orange, which includes a locker room, a team meeting area, a coaches’ office and larger batting cages, the Orange County Register reported. The remaining $1.1 million was paid for by the Orange Unified School District, according to the Register. Freddie Freeman visits El Modena High School for the unveiling of a new clubhouse on March 26, 2024. (Los Angeles Dodgers) Freddie Freeman visits El Modena High School for the unveiling of a new clubhouse on March 26, 2024. (Los Angeles Dodgers) Freddie Freeman visits El Modena High School for the unveiling of a new clubhouse on March 26, 2024. (Los Angeles Dodgers) Freddie Freeman visits El Modena High School for the unveiling of a new clubhouse on March 26, 2024. (Los Angeles Dodgers) The Dodgers posted images of the unveiling on its Facebook and Instagram accounts Tuesday. “A special

(KTXL) — Former California State Controller Betty Yee officially launched her campaign for governor Wednesday. “Today I am hearing from people across the state that California is more out of balance than ever,” Yee said in a video statement announcing her campaign. “We have the grit and the power to make California add up for all of us again.” Rosenhall, Shafer discuss Prop. 1’s slim victory, Newsom’s headwinds, Willie Brown Yee had previously stated she intended to compete in the 2026 election but was not ready to make a formal announcement. Prior to becoming controller, Yee was twice elected to the California State Board of Equalization and also served as the state’s budget director. In her last race, Yee, a Democrat, was reelected as State Controller with 65.5% of the vote beating Republican Konstantinos Roditis and ineligible to run again due to term limits after leaving office in January 2023. Yee is the Vice Chair of the California Democratic Party. Yee joins two other California female political leaders in the race for governor, California Senate Leader Toni Atkins and Lt. Governor Eleni Kounalakis.

Timeline of Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore – CBS News Watch CBS News At 1:30 a.m. on Tuesday, March 26, Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed when a cargo ship lost power and crashed into it. Here’s how the events unfolded. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore discusses bridge collapse, recovery – CBS News Watch CBS News Maryland Gov. Wes Moore speaks about the recovery efforts and what’s ahead after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed on Tuesday. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

We may receive commissions from some links to products on this page. Promotions are subject to availability and retailer terms. MoneyWatch: Managing Your Money By Angelica Leicht Edited By Matt Richardson March 27, 2024 / 12:45 PM EDT / CBS News It’s important to ensure that you can repay the loan before borrowing from your home’s equity. Getty Images For homeowners looking to fund major expenses, like home renovations , education costs or debt consolidation , a home equity loan can be an attractive option. And, that’s especially true in today’s unusual economic environment. Not only are home equity loan rates currently lower than the rates on credit cards or other types of loans, but the average homeowner currently also has  about $300,000 in home equity right now.  But while it can make sense to borrow against the equity you’ve built, the reality is that taking on additional debt secured by your home is a big decision that requires careful consideration. Not everyone is financially prepared for a home equity loan . And, since your home is used as collateral, borrowing too much and missing

In 1960, an 18-year-old Italian pianist, the youngest contestant, won the prestigious International Chopin Piano Competition, held every five years in Warsaw. “That boy,” the revered pianist Arthur Rubinstein, honorary chairman of a 37-member jury, famously announced, “can play the piano better than any of us.” Live recordings of Pollini playing Chopin in the competition back Rubinstein up. Rubinstein’s quip has been used in seemingly every tribute to Maurizio Pollini since his death Saturday in Milan at 82. Pollini went on to have a storied career. Inevitably, sharks smelled commercial blood, as they always do in this business, and pounced to sign Pollini to lucrative record deals and concerts. But the keyboard wunderkind happened to have been an uncompromising perfectionist. Before joining the piano rat race, Pollini insisted on taking time to learn repertory and to mature. Although Pollini did record Chopin’s First Piano Concerto upon accepting his prize, he otherwise kept the sharks at bay for close to a decade. Pollini always put the music first. Typical top soloists can give upward of 100 performances a year; Pollini kept it to a third that

WASHINGTON —  Did Russian President Vladimir Putin overplay his hand? Only five days after Putin breezed to another six-year term in power following a heavily stage-managed election, Russia suffered its deadliest terror attack in decades. At least 140 people died when attackers stormed Crocus City Hall, a shopping and entertainment complex on Moscow’s northwest edge, first raking concertgoers with gunfire and then setting the venue ablaze. Putin’s near-immediate response to Friday’s attack was to blame Ukraine, the neighboring sovereign country he has spent the last two years trying to subdue militarily. The government of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has vehemently denied any involvement in the attack. On the face of it, analysts say, Putin’s accusation against Ukraine makes no sense. The Islamist group ISIS-K, an offshoot of Islamic State, quickly claimed responsibility, and even proffered self-shot video footage of the attack as proof. U.S. intelligence officials had publicly and privately warned that such an attack inside Russia by Islamist militants was in the works, though its assessment of imminent danger was made a few weeks before the actual strike. Putin publicly dismissed the warnings as attempts

Southern California’s Imperial Irrigation District, which supplies water to farmers who grow most of the nation’s winter vegetables, planned to start a conservation program in April to scale back what it draws from the critical Colorado River. But a tiny, tough fish got in the way. Now, those plans won’t start until at least June so water and wildlife officials can devise a way to ensure the endangered desert pupfish and other species are protected, said Jamie Asbury, the irrigation district’s general manager. The proposal to pay farmers to temporarily stop watering feed crops such as alfalfa this summer has environmentalists concerned that irrigation drains could dry up, threatening the fish that measures the length of an ATM card. “Drains are created for farmers to be able to convey irrigation runoff, and the pupfish decided it was a good place to live,” Asbury said. Protecting the desert pupfish, listed as endangered since 1986, has been one of many vexing problems facing the Colorado River and the people and species that rely on it. The 1,450-mile (2,334-kilometer) river provides water to 40 million people in seven

Lego has contacted a Southern California police department, telling them to stop using images of minifigure heads to protect suspects’ identities after news of the practice recently went viral.  “The Lego Group reached out to us and respectfully asked us to refrain from using their intellectual property in our social media content which of course we understand and will comply with,” Murrieta Police Department Lt. Jeremy Durrant told Fox News. “We are currently exploring other methods to continue publishing our content in a way that is engaging and interesting to our followers,” Durant said. Suspects are shown with Lego heads covering their faces. (Murrieta Police Department) A suspect is shown with a Lego head covering their face. (Murrieta Police Department) A suspect is shown with a Lego head covering their face. (Murrieta Police Department) A suspect is shown with a Lego head covering their face. (Murrieta Police Department) A suspect is shown with a Lego head covering their face. (Murrieta Police Department) A suspect is shown with a Lego head covering their face. (Murrieta Police Department) A lineup is shown with Lego heads covering the

Recovery efforts, investigation underway after Baltimore bridge collapse – CBS News Watch CBS News Recovery efforts resumed Wednesday morning for six people missing and presumed dead after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse in Baltimore. The victims were part of a construction crew filling potholes on the bridge when it collapsed. CBS News’ Kris Van Cleave and Nicole Sganga have the latest. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Appeals court keeps Texas immigration law on hold – CBS News Watch CBS News A panel of judges from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals is keeping a controversial Texas immigration law known as SB4 on hold while the court considers whether the measure is lawful and constitutional. CBS News immigration reporter Camilo Montoya-Galvez has the latest. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

World By Li Cohen Updated on: March 27, 2024 / 12:04 PM EDT / CBS News A Peruvian woman was eating pork rinds when she suddenly felt an object stuck in her throat. After vomiting blood, she went to the emergency room thinking she had swallowed a bone – but it was something far more dangerous.  Celia Tello, 68, had to undergo surgery to remove the object, which doctors told Reuters turned out to be a nail that was piercing one of her carotid arteries, blood vessels that the Cleveland Clinic says are “a vital part of your circulatory system.” There is a carotid artery on each side of your neck, each splitting into two branches to help supply blood to your head and neck.  “It never crossed my mind I had this nail or piece of wire,” Tello told Reuters in Spanish.  An x-ray image shows the nail accidentally swallowed by a 68-year-old woman who was eating pork rinds in February.  EsSalud via Reuters Surgeon Diego Cuipal told Reuters that doctors had to conduct a “careful dissection” to remove the nail and that there was

World March 27, 2024 / 12:02 PM EDT / CBS/AFP The Endangered Species Act at 50 The Endangered Species Act at 50 02:32 Australia’s grassland earless dragon is no bigger than a pinkie when it emerges from its shell, but the little lizard faces an enormous challenge in the years ahead: avoiding extinction. As recently as 2019, scientists in Canberra counted hundreds of grassland earless dragons in the wild. This year, they found 11. In other areas of the country, the lizard has not been seen for three decades. The earless dragon — which is light brown and has long white stripes down its body — measures about 15 centimeters, which is roughly the size of a $1 bill, when fully grown. It lacks an external ear opening and functional eardrum, hence the name. This picture taken on March 25, 2024, shows a grassland earless dragon lizard at the Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve on the outskirts of Canberra.  DAVID GRAY/AFP via Getty Images Australia has four species of earless dragons. Three are  critically endangered , the highest level of risk, while the fourth is endangered.  

Pasadena’s Art Alexakis, singer-songwriter and guitarist of Los Angeles alt-rock band Everclear, finds himself this month somewhere between dealing with the aftermath of a March windstorm decimating his wife’s BMW and rehearsing his rendition of “Diamond Dogs” for a benefit tribute to David Bowie. There’s also plenty of self-care and a fair share of looking back. In 2016, Alexakis was diagnosed with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis after likely experiencing the autoimmune disease for a decade prior. Nearly 3 million people affected with nervous system impairment around the globe have included Christina Applegate, Selma Blair, Montel Williams, Jamie-Lynn Sigler and the late Richard Pryor. Born and raised in Santa Monica, Alexakis continues his National MS Awareness Month tradition of kicking off the third annual 24-hour online “Dystopia Tonight Stream to End MS” starting Wednesday at 6pm Pacific. All funds raised benefit the National MS Society. Event highlights from the event’s previous years include a “That 70s Show” reunion with creator/showrunner Mark Brazil, Tommy Chong and Kurtwood Smith; Jimmy Vivino showing up with “Letterman” sidekick Paul Shaffer and the Four Seasons’ Lee Shapiro; video messages from comedians Lewis