L.A. Overview

Ricky Gervais rips 'artless' H'wood

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:03:00 -0500

Ricky Gervais seems ready to give Hollywood an even worse scorching this Sunday when he hosts the Golden Globes against the backdrop of Occupy Wall Street.

Sex gets better with age say scientists

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:02:00 -0500

Sex really does get better with age because older women get satisfaction from physical closeness, research has found.

Beyonce designs t-shirt for Obama campaign

Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:01:00 -0500

First, she danced up a storm last year in a music video for first lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move!” initiative. Now, the “Best Thing I Never Had” singer is selling clothes she designed to raise money for President Obama’s re-election campaign.

Brittany Murphy Father Sues, Demanding Renewed Investigation Into Death

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:19:00 -0500

Angelo Bertolotti, who says he is the late actress Brittany Murphy’s biological father, has filed suit against the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office and the Los Angeles Police Department. He wants to force them to do additional toxicology testing on a sample of the star’s hair and to re-open the investigation into her death.

Southwest Airlines to fly between Atlanta, Los Angeles

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:17:00 -0500

Southwest Airlines, which plans to start service to Atlanta next month, said Wednesday that it will add a daily nonstop round trip from that city to Los Angeles beginning in June.

Police pursue 'intriguing' information in Natalie Wood case

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:12:00 -0500

Tipsters are coming forward with additional information regarding actress Natalie Wood's 1981 drowning death, after authorities announced two months ago they were reopening the case, a Los Angeles County sheriff's spokesman said Wednesday.

Former Nixon and Ford Budget Director Roy Ash Dies

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:05:00 -0500

Former Office of Management and Budget director Roy Ash has died at his Los Angeles home at 93.

LA study: Poor students stuck with worst teachers

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:04:00 -0500

Good teachers are the key to accelerating academic achievement by Hispanic and black students to levels on par with their white and Asian counterparts, but poor, minority children are consistently stuck with the worst instructors, according to a study released Thursday.

Bankruptcy judge approves Dodgers settlement with Fox Sports, clearing way for sale of team

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 15:00:00 -0500

A bankruptcy judge in Delaware on Wednesday approved a settlement between the Los Angeles Dodgers and Fox Sports that clears the way for the sale of the team.

Katy Perry, a no-show at People's Choice Awards, wins five of 'em

Thu, 12 Jan 2012 14:58:00 -0500

Katy Perry is in the popular clique now. The singer-actress won the most People's Choice Awards at Wednesday's 38th annual fan-favorite extravaganza, but viewers wouldn't have known it from watching the ceremony. An absentee Perry was honored in five categories, including favorite female artist, tour headliner, song of the year for "E.T." with Kanye West, music video for "Last Friday Night" and TV guest star for "How I Met Your Mother."

No evidence of foul play in Natalie Wood probe

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:12:00 -0500

Eight weeks of new investigative work on Natalie Wood's mysterious death have yet to produce evidence of foul play, officials said Tuesday. But the legendary case is not yet closed, Los Angeles County Sheriff's spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

LA council tentatively OKs porn condom ordinance

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:10:00 -0500

An ordinance that would require porn actors to wear condoms during film shoots was tentatively approved by the City Council on Tuesday.

Man Shot To Death While Attempting To Rescue Grandpa From Driveway Mugging

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:05:00 -0500

Police are searching for three robbers who mugged a 60-year-old man and fatally shot his grandson in Sun Valley Monday night.

Fire erupts overnight at West LA Mormon Temple

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:47:00 -0500

In the wee small hours of Tuesday morning, a fire erupted at a construction site on the grounds of the nation's second-largest Mormon temple.

LAUSD budget shortfall: $543 million - thousands could be laid off

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:40:00 -0500

L.A. Unified Superintendent John Deasy painted a stark budget picture at today's first board meeting of the year — a $543 million budget shortfall for the next academic year, plus the possibility that thousands of employees could face layoffs, whole school programs could be cut, and months of school could be lost.

LA schools mull ways to boost district enrollment

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:40:00 -0500

The Los Angeles Unified school board wants to stem the decade-long decline in enrollment that has cost the district hundreds of millions over dollars in per pupil funding.

Baca seeks more staffing for mentally ill inmates

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:33:00 -0500

Los Angeles County Sheriff Lee Baca wants to hire more staff members who are trained to deal with the mentally ill in county jails.

L.A. pastor gets 15 years in a $14.2 million Medicare fraud scheme

Wed, 11 Jan 2012 14:26:00 -0500

A 61-year-old man was sentenced Monday to 15 years in federal prison for helping engineer a $14.2 million Medicare fraud, including hiring parishioners at the church he co-lead to help with the scheme, the federal government said.