Category: Los Angeles

A South Los Angeles man has been sentenced to over nine years for a 10-day long robbery spree that ended in a high-speed crash and freeway foot pursuit, officials announced Thursday. The Department of Justice says Anthony Flores, 28, also known by the alias “BabyGfar,” and other co-conspirators stole about $14,143 total from BevMo! stores in Southern California. In May 2023, Flores and others robbed two BevMo! stores in Long Beach and Lakewood and escaped with high-end liquor that was stored behind security glass. They also threatened employees with violence during the robberies, officials said. At the Long Beach BevMo! store, Flores stole around $2,604 worth of liquor, and at the Lakewood store, he escaped with around $800 worth of liquor. The crew then sold the stolen liquor to buyers on Instagram. The DOJ reports the group also conspired to rob other stores in West Covina and Pasadena, and on June 5, 2023, attempted to rob a BevMo! store in Canyon Country.  In the last robbery attempt, officials say Flores and co-defendant Ivin Kitu Sanford, 32, formerly of South Los Angeles but now a resident

A mandatory No-Burn Day alert has been issued by the South Coast Air Quality Management District, prohibiting all residential wood burning in the South Coast Air Basin due to high levels of air pollution. The alert, which will be in effect from midnight to 11:59 p.m. Friday, applies to residents in Orange County and the non-desert areas of Los Angeles, Riverside and San Bernardino counties. Areas under a wood burning ban for Friday, Nov. 8, 2024. (South Coast Air Quality Management District) Exemptions apply to mountain communities above 3,000 feet, the Coachella Valley, and the High Desert, as well as homes that rely on wood as their sole heat source or are in low-income households without natural gas service. Mountain Fire destroys century-old Santa Paula home as homeowner escapes with pets Air quality levels have been adversely affected by multiple wildfires in the area, including the Mountain Fire burning in Ventura County. Heavy winds also kicked up ash and dust into the air, leading to a Windblown Dust and Ash advisory being issued Wednesday. The No-Burn rule bans the burning of wood, including manufactured fire

(NEXSTAR) — Elwood Edwards, the man behind AOL’s iconic “You’ve got mail” voice alert has died at age 74, according to his former employer, local Cleveland television station WKYC. The outlet reported that he passed away from an undisclosed illness on Nov. 5, a day before his 75th birthday. Described by WKYC as a “jack-of-all trades,” Edwards worked in various roles at the station throughout the years, from graphics supervisor to camera operator. 3 charged in death of Liam Payne: officials In 1989, he recorded four simple phrases for AOL, including “You’ve got mail,” “Welcome,” “File’s done,” and “Goodbye.” His wife Karen, a customer service representative at Quantum Computer Services — the company that would later become AOL — connected him with the opportunity. “She heard Steve Case [the company’s co-founder] talking to some of the programmers about how fun it would be to add a voice to the software,” Edwards said in a June 2016 interview with the Great Big Story. “I’d been an announcer throughout my entire broadcasting career, and she volunteered me.” Elwood Edwards appears on “The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon”

Officials and universities in several U.S. states condemned racist text messages that were sent to Black residents on Wednesday. The messages, which had almost identical language, told the recipient they had been “selected for cotton picking.”  In a statement, the FBI said it was aware of “the offensive and racist text messages sent to individuals around the country” and said it is in contact with the Justice Department and other federal authorities. The texts were received by people in states including Alabama, Texas, Georgia, Florida, Maryland, Pennsylvania , South Carolina and Ohio, CBS News found. NAACP President Derrick Johnson condemned the messages and said they represent an “alarming increase in vile and abhorrent rhetoric.”  The texts were sent from numbers with area codes in at least 25 different states, CBS News found. By Thursday, several numbers were disconnected, while others went to voicemail that identified them as TextNow users, a provider that allows people to create phone numbers for free.  TextNow said in a statement that it had “learned that one or more of our accounts may have been used to send text messages in

Inside Senate Republicans’ power plays for leadership role – CBS News Watch CBS News CBS News estimates that control of the House of Representatives is lean Republican. Meanwhile, the GOP flipped the Senate with longtime leader Mitch McConnell stepping down from the role. CBS News congressional correspondent Nikole Killion has more. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Major Garrett on “clarity” and the 2024 election result – CBS News Watch CBS News CBS News chief Washington correspondent Major Garrett says he’s seen the word “clarity” mentioned a lot about the 2024 presidential election, with some variation of “at least the result was clear.” However, as Garrett explains, the result of the 2020 election was clear as well. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

How the “bro vote” propelled Trump to victory – CBS News Watch CBS News CBS News exit polling finds that President-elect Donald Trump won white men under 30, the so-called “bro vote,” by seven percentage points. Peter Hamby, host of Snapchat’s “Good Luck America” and a partner at Puck News, joins “America Decides” to examine how Trump broke through with young men. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

Electric vehicle maker Rivian missed Wall Street’s expectations for revenue on Thursday, with sales coming in lower than anticipated in the third quarter. The Irvine-based company reported revenue of $874 million in the three months ending Sept. 30., which fell short of the $992 million projected by analysts, according to FactSet. The company recorded revenue of $1.3 billion during the same period a year ago. In a shareholder letter, Rivian attributed the revenue drop to a production disruption and “a more challenging consumer environment.” Rivian faces several hurdles, including supply chain problems, safety issues and a slowing demand for electric vehicles from consumers worried about cost and convenient charging options. RJ Scaringe, the company’s founder and chief executive, said in a call with analysts that it’s been a “tough quarter” for Rivian because of the supply chain hiccups and fixing that has been at the top of the company’s priorities. “We’re working very, very hard to address that,” said Scaringe, adding that the company sees the challenge as a “short-term issue.” Automakers are also bracing for more uncertainty after Republican Donald Trump won the 2024

Having revealed his small-ball starting lineup, UCLA basketball coach Mick Cronin soon will have a decision to make when he wants to go big. Does he go with the biggest guy on the team in Aday Mara, a 7-foot-3 sophomore whose intense offseason training should prevent all the huffing he did as a freshman? Or does he opt for William Kyle III, a 6-foot-9 junior transfer who is trying to take a giant step up in competition after spending the last two seasons at South Dakota State? That choice could come as soon as Friday evening when the Bruins face an opponent that started three players 6-foot-9 or taller. “I would anticipate us needing to play bigger against high-major teams like New Mexico,” Cronin said Thursday, referencing the game between the No. 22 Bruins (1-0) and Lobos (1-0) in the Las Vegas Hoopfest at Lee’s Family Forum in Henderson, Nev. Each big man has his selling points and drawbacks. Kyle provides the more athletic option and was the first player off the bench during the Bruins’ season-opening victory over Rider. He’s a natural leaper who

As the Mountain Fire exploded amid hurricane-force winds in Ventura County on Wednesday, many residents had just minutes to escape with their lives and whatever property they could gather. For horse owners in Somis, one of California’s premiere equestrian communities, the challenge was particularly complicated, and many needed help. Robyn Fisher, an equestrian trainer based in nearby Moorpark, leaped into action around 9 a.m. when she received a call from a colleague near the fire’s origin along Balcom Canyon Road. “I just got into the trailer and started driving, and I didn’t realize what I was driving into,” Fisher told KTLA 5 News on Thursday. She and her assistant arrived at the facility to find it already engulfed in flames. They knew time was of the essence. “We got there and loaded the horses as fast as we could,” said Fisher. Video recorded by Robyn Fisher’s assistant shows their harrowing drive through the Mountain Fire in Somis, California. Nov. 6, 2024. (Robyn Fisher) As they pulled away from the ranch with four horses in their trailer, they immediately encountered heavy smoke and flames on both

Trump taps Susie Wiles as White House chief of staff – CBS News Watch CBS News The Trump campaign has announced Susie Wiles as President-elect Donald Trump’s White House chief of staff. “It is a well-deserved honor to have Susie as the first-ever female Chief of Staff in United States history,” Trump said in a news release. Be the first to know Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting. Not Now Turn On

November 7, 2024 / 5:22 PM EST / AP TikTok argues against U.S. ban in court TikTok in court over U.S. ban: Breaking down the legal arguments 06:11 Canada announced Wednesday it won’t block access to the popular video-sharing app TikTok but is ordering the dissolution of its Canadian business after a national security review of the Chinese company behind it. Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne said it is meant to address risks related to ByteDance Ltd.’s establishment of TikTok Technology Canada Inc. “The government is not blocking Canadians’ access to the TikTok application or their ability to create content. The decision to use a social media application or platform is a personal choice,” Champagne said. Champagne said it is important for Canadians to adopt good cybersecurity practices, including protecting their personal information. He said the dissolution order was made in accordance with the Investment Canada Act, which allows for the review of foreign investments that may harm Canada’s national security. He said the decision was based on information and evidence collected over the course of the review and on the advice of Canada’s security and

A brush fire scorched dozens of acres of open terrain south of Pyramid Lake Thursday amid high wind conditions, but no injuries were reported and no structures damaged. According to the Los Angeles County Fire Department, firefighters responded to the 39000 block of Golden State Highway around 12:15 p.m. Thursday. The Frenchman Fire — so named due to its proximity to the Frenchman Flat area — was initially estimated at 50 acres, but county fire officials later put its size at 75 acres. Angeles National Forest fire crews subsequently moved the size back to 50 acres, saying forward progress had been stopped shortly after 2:30 p.m. The cause of the fire was unknown.

Much of Los Angeles County was again coping with red flag critical fire conditions Thursday as a powerful and “particularly dangerous” Santa Ana wind event continued to combine with low humidity to raise the risk of wildfires. Winds battered much of the region Wednesday, with the National Weather Service reporting peak gusts in the mountains reaching 75 to 85 mph, and 45 to 65 mph at lower elevations. The wind speeds tapered off as evening fell Wednesday, although gusts still reached up to 60 mph in the mountains. The winds picked up speed again Thursday morning, although falling slightly short of Wednesday’s levels. “Despite some decrease in winds since yesterday this remains a highly critical and dangerous fire weather situation across LA and Ventura counties,” according to the National Weather Service. “… Strongest winds today will be in the Santa Susanna and San Gabriel Mountains where gusts up to 60 mph are possible. Across the valleys and Ventura coastal areas wind gusts between 30 and 50 mph are expected. Humidities in all areas will drop to around 10 percent.” Conditions are expected to change rapidly

Los Angeles County has increased a reward to $25,000 for information that would help solve the mysterious case of 24-year-old Mitrice Richardson, who disappeared in 2009 after being released from sheriff’s custody and was found dead 11 months later in Malibu Canyon. In August, the county Board of Supervisors reestablished a reward of $20,000 in the Richardson case. The Cal State Fullerton graduate vanished without trace after leaving the Malibu-Lost Hills Sheriff’s Station around midnight on Sep. 17, 2009. Earlier that evening, Richardson was dining at Geoffrey’s in Malibu, where she displayed strange behavior and failed to pay an $89 tab, according to guests and staff. Richardson’s behavior at the restaurant was never included in police reports. But it was later found she had bipolar disorder and may have been experiencing a mental breakdown and trouble sleeping, according to detectives. She was given the choice to remain voluntarily at the station until daylight hours or when transportation arrived, according to a sheriff report. Opting to leave, Richardson was released without any personal belongings — her wallet and phone were inside her impounded Honda Civic, where

If Los Angeles has a reputation for opera, it is as an outlier, a city freed from encrusted tradition and eager to invent. Long Beach Opera, the Industry and the Los Angeles Philharmonic have together created an enviable engine for remaking opera. In the recently published “A New Philosophy of Art” by Industry founder Yuval Sharon, two chapters titled “Toward an Anti-Elite Opera” and “Breaking the Frame” offer an excellent introduction to opera L.A. style. But so, in a surprisingly different way, did three more mainstream L.A. opera companies that recently presented a trio of mid-19th century operas. The operas — Russian, French and Italian — are out of the ordinary. The venues, bare-bones to grand. The geography, Westside to East. In a community room at St. Andrew’s Lutheran Church in the Sawtelle district, Independent Opera on Friday gave the West Coast premiere of Alexander Dargomyzhsky‘s “The Stone Guest.” Left unfinished at the composer’s death in 1869, it was the most important opera of last weekend and delivered in far and away the least decorative manner. Independent Opera was formed in 2012 by Ukrainian conductor

Welcome to “Remember This Banger?” — a series in which we’ll periodically revisit some of Latin music’s most enduring and beloved songs. Thalía’s ‘90s hit “ Gracias a Dios ” is a Juan Gabriel-penned, ska-infused— exploration of a pop icon’s dance with saintliness and sin. Decked out in a shiny patent leather corset and blunt Velma Kelly-esque bob , Thalía in full dom mode sensuously saunters onto the screen in a dripping wet industrial warehouse set to the brassy, light ska beat of the 1996 single “Gracias a Dios.” She straddles a blindfolded man tied to a chair, then shaves his face with a straight-edge razor, which the singer then wields to rip his shirt off, exposing his chiseled pecs. Mistress Thalía lays her cheek on her man’s chest as the soft warble of her voice expresses utter devotion. Suddenly, she sprays him with a fire hose — laws of physics don’t apply in the Thalía sex dungeon. (Agencia Reforma ) “Gracias a Dios” marks the fifth single from the Mexican pop icon’s fourth album, 1995’s ” En Éxtasis .” The banger, written by El

SAN ANTONIO —  The last time Teoscar Hernández gazed out at the crowd at Dodger Stadium this season, the veteran outfielder almost broke down crying. “I just want to say thank you,” Hernández said during the Dodgers’ World Series celebration at Chavez Ravine last Friday, having played a crucial role in the club’s first full-season championship since 1988. Hernández then stopped, getting choked up with emotion. Before him, more than 40,000 fans began roaring in appreciation. “I play this game to win,” Hernández continued, the serenading from the stands amplifying with every word. “And the Dodgers gave me the opportunity to come here, so I could help this organization, this team, these people, this city, win a championship. You guys made this dream come true. Thank you for making me a World champion.” If not for Hernández, the Dodgers might not have had a championship to celebrate. After signing a one-year, $23.5 million contract with the club last offseason, he became one of the most important pieces in their indomitable lineup, racking up 33 home runs and 99 RBIs in the regular season, plus a number

A person was pronounced dead after a house caught fire in Rosemead on Thursday, authorities confirmed. The fire was reported at 12:16 p.m. at 2406 New Avenue, located across the street from Monterey Vista Elementary School, according to the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department. Upon arrival, authorities found the home covered with heavy smoke. The department said one person was pulled out of the home. They were pronounced dead at the scene. One person died after a house caught fire in Rosemead on Thursday, authorities confirmed. (Viewer Photo) The victim’s identity was not immediately made publicly available. The immediate area remained blocked off as of 2 p.m., though the fire was knocked down by 12:48 p.m., according to L.A. County Fire. The ‘environmental recipe’ that created the devastating Mountain Fire The cause of the fire was not clear, though arson and homicide units were investigating as of Thursday. The deployment of those units is standard in the event of a fatal fire. The sheriff’s department said there was no evidence of a suspicious circumstance as of Thursday afternoon.

A historic 100-year-old home in Santa Paula was destroyed Wednesday after the fast-moving Mountain Fire was driven by strong winds onto the property. The blaze left the property and several others in ruins as firefighters and local residents scrambled to contain the flames and save what they could. Homeowner Dawn DeLeon evacuated briefly before returning to find her house engulfed in flames. “I left here, went to a house half a mile down the road, said, ‘Oh, I forgot my phone.’ I came back and the house was on fire and I couldn’t get up here again,” DeLeon said. “It got here so fast.” Despite losing her home, she managed to save her six dogs and two cats. A 100-year-old home in Santa Paula was destroyed in the Mountain Fire on Nov. 6, 2024. The house, which was once a spot where weddings were held, was reduced to rubble in the 20,000-acre blaze. (KTLA) The house, which had stood for a century, was more than just a residence. It had rich history and held deep sentimental value to both the homeowners and the community. “It

Build-A-Bear Workshop is teaming up with Hello Kitty to open its first-ever collaborative workshop in honor of the character’s 50th anniversary. The new workshop will open on Nov. 15 at Westfield Century City in Los Angeles. The shop will include exclusive offerings inspired by Hello Kitty and her friends. The first 50 guests for the new experience will also receive a special gift. “This workshop is about creating a space where guests of all ages can connect with their favorite Sanrio characters in a fun and memorable way. It’s a special experience that brings together the magic of childhood with the creativity of today’s culture, and we’re excited to share it with the West Los Angeles community,” Sharon Price John, president and CEO of Build-A-Bear Workshop, said in a statement. The opening of the Build-A-Bear x Hello Kitty® and Friends Workshop, in addition to exclusive new holiday Sanrio® designs available at www.buildabear.com and in participating Workshops, reflects the popularity of the Sanrio® collection among both adults and children alike. (Build-A-Bear) Hello Kitty fans who can’t make it to Westfield Century City can make their own