News One » Los Angeles

Teacher Charged With Taking Pics Of Kids With Roaches And Semen

Associated Press — Tue, 31 Jan 2012 16:59:48 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A former Los Angeles elementary school teacher was arrested after he allegedly gagged and made bondage photos of nearly two dozen children — possibly inside a classroom, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said Tuesday.

A department statement said Mark Berndt, 61, was arrested at his Torrance home on Monday and remained jailed Tuesday on $2.3 million bail.

The district attorney’s office said Berndt has been charged with committing lewd acts with 23 boys and girls ages 7 to 10.

Berndt worked for more than 30 years at Miramonte Elementary School in an unincorporated area of south Los Angeles before being fired.

The investigation began when a film processor gave authorities some 40 photographs depicting blindfolded children in a classroom with their mouths taped shut.

Some of the photos showed Berndt with his arm around the children or with his hand over their mouths.

“In addition, the photographs depicted girls with what appeared to be a blue plastic spoon, filled with an unknown clear/white liquid substance, up to their mouths as if they were going to ingest the substance. There are also photos of children with large live Madagascar-type cockroaches on their faces and mouths,” the statement said.

A blue plastic spoon and container found in trash in his classroom tested positive for semen, the statement said.

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Another Case Of Shocking Police Brutality [Graphic Video]?

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 16:19:14 +0000

LOS ANGELES-Police shot and killed a man armed with a crowbar outside of a Carl’s Jr. restaurant in Monterey, California. Police were called to the restaurant after reports that a man was breaking windows with a crowbar.

At first, police officers tased the individual, which resulted in the unidentified man approaching a police officer with his crowbar. Then another police officer shot the man five times. When the man fell down, another officer shot him five more times. The man was rushed to the hospital where he died.

KTLA reports:

One officer shot the man five times, and a second officer shot the man five more times after he fell to the pavement.

Paramedics rushed him to a hospital, where he was later pronounced dead.

Human Head Found Near Hollywood Sign

Associated Press — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:01:40 +0000

LOS ANGELES — An investigation unfolding near the iconic Hollywood sign in Los Angeles is playing out like a gory movie script, as police worked to identity a man whose body was found in parts over the past two days – first a head on Tuesday, then two hands and two feet on Wednesday.

On Thursday, more than 100 police officers, some on horseback, were searching a Hollywood wilderness park along a winding hiking trail to see if they can find more body parts.

Authorities said the head came from a man believed to be 40 to 60 years old. Police think all the body parts are from the same man but are trying to confirm that.

Dog walkers found a severed human head inside a plastic bag Tuesday after two of the dogs they were walking began toying with an object. When they shook the plastic bag, a human head fell out onto the ground, according to police Cmdr. Andrew Smith.

The first hand was found as dozens of officers and homicide investigators combed the brush, and a coroner’s cadaver dog came upon it about 50 yards from where the head was discovered on Tuesday afternoon, the Los Angeles Times reported.

The second hand and both feet were found nearby later Wednesday afternoon. No details were immediately available on the condition of the body parts.

The man might have been killed elsewhere in recent days and his body dumped in the park, Smith said. Wild animals in the park may have other body parts, he said.

Police were looking at reports of missing persons, and coroner’s investigators were to check dental records to try and determine his identity.

Smith noted that the area is well traveled by both cars and hikers. A paved road winds around picnic areas and a children’s playground before connecting with a trail that eventually winds up near the Hollywood sign.

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NEW LAW! Porn Actors Must Wear Condoms For L.A. Shoots

Brett Johnson — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 22:51:42 +0000

The Los Angeles City Council approved an ordinance today that makes it mandatory for porn actors to wear condoms on location shoots in the city.

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In a near unanimous vote of 9-1, the City Council approved the measure at a meeting today, according to a report in the LA Weekly.

The ruling, which the City Council approved 11-1 in a preliminary vote last week, only applies to porn scenes shot on-location and exempts adult films shot at studios. Still, the majority of porn films made in Los Angeles are shot on-location.

The ordinance now just needs the mayor’s signature.

The ordinance has it’s fair share of advocates who say the measure is needed to prevent the spread of HIV in the multibillion-dollar adult film industry, much of which is centered in Los Angeles, according to the New York Daily News.

But there are other groups such as the porn industry’s trade association, the Free Speech Coalition, who’ve opposed the city mandating the use of condoms. The group argues that regular testing of actors for sexually transmitted diseases has worked, claiming that there have been no confirmed cases of HIV in the porn industry in five years.

However, the adult industry shut down last August after reports surfaced that a unnamed adult performer tested positive HIV.

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Ex-Marine Charged With Killing 4 Homeless Men

Associated Press — Tue, 17 Jan 2012 21:24:44 +0000

SANTA ANA, Calif. — A 23-year-old Iraq War veteran has been charged with the stabbing deaths of four homeless men in a rampage that terrorized Southern California for weeks, prosecutors said Tuesday.

No decision had been made about whether prosecutors will seek the death penalty against former Marine Itzcoatl (its-KWAH-tel) Ocampo, authorities said.

Each victim was stabbed dozens of times, including one who had more than 60 wounds, said Orange County District Attorney Tony Rackauckas at a news conference announcing the charges.

The last victim was targeted because his photograph appeared in a Los Angeles Times article about police warning homeless people to be careful, Rackauckas said.

The charges include special allegations of multiple murders and lying in wait and use of a deadly weapon. The minimum sentence if convicted is life in prison without parole.

Ocampo’s family said he was a troubled man when he returned from Iraq. Ocampo’s own father is also homeless.

The killing spree began in December, raising concerns that a serial killer was preying on the homeless. Police and advocates then went on nightly patrols to urge them to sleep in groups or seek shelter.

Police arrested Ocampo when bystanders chased him down after a 64-year-old man was stabbed to death outside a fast-food restaurant in Anaheim, about 26 miles southeast of Los Angeles.

Julia Smit-Lozano, the daughter of one of the victims, told the Orange County Register that prosecutors said her father, Paulus Smit, 57, was stabbed more than 50 times outside a library in Yorba Linda on Dec. 30.

Authorities have provided no information on the evidence against Ocampo, or a possible motive. But Anaheim Police Chief John Welter has said investigators are confident they have the man responsible for the murders.

Ocampo is being held in isolation in an Orange County jail, is wearing a protective gown and is being monitored 24 hours a day, said Jim Amormino, a spokesman for the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.

“Obviously he has some psychological problems just by the nature of the crimes, so they don’t want him to hurt himself,” Amormino said.

Ocampo’s father, Refugio Ocampo, said his son was deployed to Iraq in 2008 and came back a changed man. He said his son expressed disillusionment and became ever darker as he struggled to find his way as a civilian.

After he was discharged in 2010 and returned home, his parents separated. The same month, one of his friends, a corporal, was killed during combat in Afghanistan. His brother said Ocampo visited his friend’s grave twice a week.

Like the men Ocampo is accused of preying on, his father is homeless. His father lost his job and ended up living under a bridge before finding shelter in the cab of a broken-down big-rig he is helping repair.

Just days before his arrest, Itzcoatl Ocampo visited his father, warning him of the danger of being on the streets and showing him a picture of one of the victims.

“He was very worried about me,” the father said. “I told him, ‘Don’t worry. I’m a survivor. Nothing will happen to me.’”

Itzcoatl Ocampo lives with his mother, uncle, younger brother and sister in a rented house on a horse ranch surrounded by the sprawling suburbs of Yorba Linda.

At the home, his mother, who speaks little English, tearfully brought her son’s Marine Corps dress uniform out of a closet and showed unit photos, citations and medals from his military service.

The son followed a friend into the Marine Corps right out of high school in 2006 instead of going to college as his father had hoped.

His family described a physical condition Itzcoatl Ocampo suffered in which his hands shook and he suffered headaches. Medical treatments helped until he started drinking heavily, they said.

A neighbor who is a Vietnam veteran and the father both tried to push Ocampo to get treatment at a Veterans Affairs hospital, but he refused. Refugio Ocampo said he wanted his son to get psychological treatment as well.

In addition to the latest victim, John Berry, and Smit, James Patrick McGillivray, 53, was killed near a shopping center in Placentia on Dec. 20 and Lloyd Middaugh, 42, was found near a riverbed trail in Anaheim on Dec. 28.

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13 Cities Celebrate MLK Day With Diverse Schedule Of Special Events

Brett Johnson — Mon, 16 Jan 2012 18:57:34 +0000

In cities all across the country, there are a number of special events scheduled during this year’s observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.

Of course, you can attend a local parade today.

However, there are also concerts, special movie screenings, prayer services and many other volunteer efforts to join so you can add an educational, service and even spiritual element to however you’re planning to celebrate Dr. King’s legacy.

If you’re looking for ways to make today more than just a day off work, we’ve compiled a list of some of what’s happening in 13 major markets.

1. ATLANTA

If you’re in the Peachtree city, you can attend the King Holiday March and Rally. The march is held on Auburn Avenue from Peachtree Street to Jackson Street while the rally is held on Auburn Avenue in the King National Park Area. The areas of concern are education, technology, medical, investment, transportation, housing environmental justice, job creation, conflict resolution, interfaith, cultural exchange, peace, justice and voter registration. 1:15 p.m. Jan. 16. Sweet Auburn District, Auburn Ave N.E., Atlanta. 404-614-3233. In addition, poet Nikki Giovanni will speak and do a free book signing at 2 p.m., as part of Kennesaw State University’s annual MLK Day event at the Bailey Performance Center, 1000 Chastain Road N.W, Kennesaw. 770-423-6650. Visit the official King Week at Emory website for a full list of the school’s King Week activities.

2. BIRMINGHAM

In the Birmingham area, locals can attend the Wreath Laying Ceremony at Dr. King’s Statue at Kelly Ingram Park at 10 a.m. There’s a Martin Luther King Day Parade in Montevallo that starts at 11 a.m. at Montevallo City Hall and will end at Shiloh Baptist Church. Homeless and senior citizens can visit Boutwell Auditorium for the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Love Feast at 2:30 p.m. Plus, folks in the area can participate in Hands on Birmingham’s 12th annual MLK Day of Service.Over 35 projects take place around the city from clean-ups, socializing with the elderly, and more. Various locations and times. And there’s free admission all day from 9 to 5 p.m. at the Birmingham Civil Rights Institute located at 520 16th Street North.

3. BOSTON

Since King was a former Boston University student, the school will hold its annual remembrance ceremony commemorating his birthday. The event, titled “Manifest Our Destiny,” routinely draws more than 1,000 people from the area. This year’s ceremony will explore “how one person’s passion can transform the world” and will include a lineup of speakers and a jazz performance from BU students. The celebration, which will be broadcast live using BU’s channel on UStream, is open to the public, and will take place at 1 p.m. on Jan. 16 in the George Sherman Union Metcalf Ballroom.

4. CHICAGO

If you’re in the Windy City, Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet is offering an African dance class in commemoration of the holiday and the Bronzeville Children’s Museum in Chicago will have a program featuring crafts. Plus, Chicagoans can get up to speed on the “Rev. Martin Luther King’s pacifist principles” by taking a free daylong course (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.) taught by certified Center for Nonviolence and Peace Studies members. For more information, visit evanstonhistorycenter.org. Evanston History Center, Charles Gates Dawes House, 225 Greenwood St (847-475-3410).

5. DETROIT

Over in Detroit, there’s the 2012 Detroit MLK Day Rally and March: Jobs, Peace & Justice. The event is a tribute to the women of SNCC (Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee) that starts at noon at Central United Methodist Church. A march through downtown Detroit follows, with a celebration culminating in the church’s second floor at 23 E. Adams and Woodward. The University of Michigan-Detroit Center (3663 Woodward Ave., Suite 150) is hosting “It’s Going On in the Hood,” a panel discussion from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m focusing on efforts to aid Detroit’s neighborhoods. For more information, visit detroitcenter.umich.edu or call the Detroit Center at (313) 593-3584.

6. HOUSTON

The 18th Annual MLK Grande Parade starts in Mid-Town at San Jacinto St and Elgin Street. For more information about the parade and pre event activities visit www.mlkgrandeparade.org. After the parade, enjoy a day of service with the Harlem Globetrotters at Root Memorial Square Park (1400 Clay Street, Houston. ) from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

7. LOS ANGELES

Instead of watching the Lakers or Clippers on TV, locals can attend this year’s Kingdom Day Parade. The parade’s theme is ”The Dream Continues to Live and Grow.” Plus, City Year Los Angeles also sponsors a day of service at Los Angeles Academy Middle School where Angelenos can build benches and paint murals. Find more volunteer opportunities at MLKDay.gov.

8. MIAMI

South Florida Urban Ministries celebrates and honors Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a day of community service. SFLUM staff and a team of AmeriCorps members and other volunteers spend the day beautifying Florida City through several painting and tree planting projects. Additionally, volunteers will help beautify and revitalize four homes in Florida City. Also includes open and closing ceremonies and lunch; 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Branches Florida City, 145 SW Fifth Ave., Florida City. Free. 305-442-8306.

9. NEW ORLEANS

In the Big Easy, locals can attend the 25th annual program of the Martin Luther King Jr. Task Force Inc. of Jefferson Parish which includes a 6:45 p.m. banquet at The Four Columns, 3711 West Bank Expressway, Harvey. The theme is “Remember! Celebrate! Act! A Day On … Not a Day Off!” Tickets are $40 per person, and organizers suggest you call soon to reserve seats. Call Clara T. Byes at 504.376.2130 or 504.368.5332.

10. NEW YORK

New Yorkers have lots of options too. Locals can visit “Picture the Dream,” a free exhibit that showcases collages that echo the message of Martin Luther King, Jr., created by children living in Brooklyn public housing. BAMcafé, 30 Lafayette Ave., btwn Ashland Pl. and St. Felix St., Brooklyn. For more info, 718-636-4111. Film buffs can watch a screening of Nothing But a Man, which is playing at the Museum of the Moving Image at 3 p.m. It’s free with $12 museum admission. The film honors the push for civil rights by Martin Luther King, Jr., as it focuses on a 1960s African American railroad worker and his family’s struggle against racism. 36-01 35 Ave., at 37th St., Astoria. For more info, 718-777-6888. And Harlemites can take the Civil Rights Multimedia Walking Tour sponsored by the Harlem Heritage & Cultural Center, 1 p.m. For $25, you can watch a video presentation of Dr. King, visit the hub of Manhattan’s African American community and explore sights related to Martin Luther King, Jr. and other important civil rights figures. 104 Malcolm X Blvd., btwn 115th and 116th sts.

11. OAKLAND

The Allen Temple Leadership Institute with Mayor Jean Quan and City Council President Larry Reid lead the “Green Clean Up Day,” a service event which will target 20 blocks in East Oakland for cleaning, graffiti removal and trash pick up. More than 200 volunteers are expected to participate in the cleanup, which is set to take place between 8:30 a.m. and noon, primarily along International Boulevard between 81st and 98th avenues.

12. SAN FRANCISCO

It’s all about service in San Francisco too. Volunteers plan to meet at the African American Art and Culture Complex today to clean up the Bernal Heights neighborhood. The Department of Public Works is providing transportation, and volunteers will be weeding, landscaping, and cleaning up the area. Volunteers also plan to build two picnic tables, construct and install four bulletin boards, improve the landscaping of a school garden and paint school railings and lunch tables at John O’Connell High School on San Francisco’s Folsom Street.

13. WASHINGTON, DC

In the nation’s capitol, the must-see event is a performance by Grammy Award winner Bobby McFerrin and the Let Freedom Ring Choir who’ll sing “Let Freedom Ring,” a musical tribute to Martin Luther King Jr. Plus, Clarence Jones, former King attorney and speechwriter will receive the 10th annual John Thompson Legacy of a Dream Award at the Kennedy Center, Concert Hall, 2700 F St. NW. Tickets are free to the 6 p.m. ceremony and are distributed, two per person, to those in line in the Hall of Nations starting a 5 p.m. Monday. 202-467-4600.

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Deputy Charged With Smuggling Heroin In Burrito To Courthouse

Associated Press — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 20:24:40 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A deputy charged with smuggling heroin inside a burrito into a courthouse jail was initially kicked out of the Sheriff’s Department training academy after a bumbling performance that was captured by Fox TV cameras for a reality show, a newspaper reported Friday.

Henry Marin later returned to the academy and became a deputy. But during his first attempt in 2007, he was quickly tagged as the class slacker on the show “The Academy” after supervisors caught him sleeping during orientation, the Los Angeles Times said.

“If he doesn’t have the discipline to come here on Day 1 and show some respect, he’s certainly not gonna have the discipline to work in the field of law enforcement,” a drill sergeant said on the show.

“What is wrong with you recruit?” another drill sergeant said when Marin showed up with a backward tie.

Marin’s arrest on Wednesday was the latest of many misconduct allegations against the Los Angeles County department, including brutality against inmates and contraband smuggling. The department, the FBI and others are investigating.

During a training exercise filmed by Fox, Marin failed to call for help and forgot the radio code for an emergency after a suicidal woman pulled a gun. A similar mishap led to his dismissal.

“You seem to have no knowledge or understanding of the laws that guide you and allow you to do certain things,” a sergeant on the show told Marin after his ouster.

He was later allowed to enroll again and graduated, sheriff’s spokesman Steve Whitmore said.

“He certainly wasn’t one of our best,” Whitmore told the Times.

Marin, 27, pleaded not guilty to charges of bringing drugs into jail and conspiracy to commit a crime.

Prosecutors said a woman came to the South Los Angeles courthouse where Marin was assigned to provide security and delivered a heroin-stuffed bean and cheese burrito that he agreed to take into the jail in February of last year.

Marin was released from custody after posting $25,000 bail and has been relieved of deputy duty without pay. He’s due back in court Feb. 12. His attorney declined comment when reached by the Times.

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Hip-Hop Program Helps L.A. Kids Stay Out Of Trouble

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 13:43:27 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A community center in L.A.’s notorious Rampart area is helping teenagers stay out of trouble by giving them a creative outlet.

A program at the community center, “Sessions LA” use hip-hop and deejay culture to teach them how to make beats using digital technology.

CNN reports:

Huang eventually moved to Los Angeles, where he began to volunteer with Sessions LA, which uses hip-hop to draw kids in and keep them from trouble. Huang helped to develop the program’s curriculum, and helped it grow. It currently serves about 15 kids, most of them Latino, black and Asian. They’re often the children of immigrants, and many have experienced trauma or abuse.

These are the kind of at-risk students, Huang said, who don’t usually have much to keep them busy.

A Scorching New Year? Car Fires Continue In Los Angeles

Associated Press — Sun, 01 Jan 2012 14:05:30 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Four more car fires broke out in the Los Angeles area New Year’s Eve, leaving authorities to probe for any links to a series of arson blazes that burned dozens of cars and spread to some structures in recent days.

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In a sobering counterpoint to the typical revelry of the night, fire trucks were stationed in neighborhoods, police patrolled the city, switchboards took hotline calls and thousands in rewards were offered.

Firefighters quickly put out a car fire at about 6 p.m. Saturday in Hollywood that “fits the profile of concern” authorities have been following for the arsons, fire department spokesman Brian Humphrey said.

A crew of 10 put out the fire in minutes. The flames did not spread beyond the car and no one was injured. Humphrey could not immediately say how the fire started.

Later at the Hollywood and Highland complex, a popular destination for holiday revelers, firefighters responded to a small car fire in a parking structure that was out by the time they arrived, Humphrey said.

He said only that the fire was under investigation, and could not say whether it was thought to be arson or tied to the others.

Shortly before 9 p.m., firefighters made quick work of two car fires in a carport in West Hollywood.

Fire dispatch supervisor Robert Diaz says the fires were put out before they could spread.

There was no word if they were linked to the arson fires.

But the fires resembled more than a dozen set before dawn Saturday, mostly in North Hollywood, and nearly two dozen fires set in and around Hollywood a day earlier.

Though some of the fires spread and damaged homes and apartments, none have brought injuries.

Still, some residents were on edge as authorities ramped up efforts to catch the culprit or culprits on a night when police and fire resources are always stretched thin as drunken New Year’s revelers hit the town.

“We’re pulling out all the stops,” Humphrey said. “We’re hoping that the person or people responsible will be brought to swift and complete justice.”

Firefighters were to be stationed around the city to respond to emergencies, while authorities set up a hotline and pored through tips. Authorities also were interviewing witnesses, looking at video footage for clues and have announced at least $35,000 in rewards for information leading to a conviction.

Among the most pressing questions: Were the fires set by a serial arsonist, multiple people or copycats? And why target cars, apparently at random?

“It’s really unnerving,” said Gary Joseph, one of several neighbors who stood looking at the frames of four badly charred vehicles in a carport in North Hollywood. Joseph said there was no way to stow his own car and keep it safe.

“It’s partly exposed, but there’s nothing I can do about it,” he said.

Sheila Kirk, who lives in the building next to the Hollywood freeway where the four cars were torched, said she quickly realized when she was awakened before dawn that the arson spree had spread to her neighborhood, though it’s several miles northeast of where the fires were set the previous night.

“We’d heard all about the fires in Hollywood and West Hollywood, then we heard what sounded like a giant hose and ran downstairs and found everything burning,” said Kirk, whose own car had a partly melted bumper despite being some 30 feet away from the cars that were set on fire. “It looks like they chose the spot where the cars were bunched together so they could do the most damage. Thank God no one got hurt.”

Neighbors and gawkers gathered to take cellphone pictures of the wreckage, and the smell of burnt plastic still hung in the air hours after the fire.

Kirk said she felt no safer because her building had already been struck.

“You don’t know, you just don’t know,” she said. “When you’re dealing with crazy people, who knows what they’re going to do?”

While few clues have emerged publicly, officials have speculated that it’s plausible that one person in a car, on a motorcycle or on a bike could have set all the fires, considering the limited area the blazes broke out in, but know they could be looking for multiple suspects.

Police said they were looking for a man who was driving a mid-1990s Lexus sedan, but offered no further description or details.

Fire officials also have yet to set a damage figure for the blazes. In West Hollywood alone, they said flames destroyed about $350,000 worth of property.

Also early Saturday some 25 miles to the south in an unincorporated section of Los Angeles, arson detectives from the Sheriff’s Department investigated a fire that destroyed eight vehicles, damaged six more, destroyed a carport and damaged an apartment building.

No evidence has been found linking that fire to those in the Hollywood area, Sheriff’s Sgt. Joe Acevedo said in a statement.

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Office Shooting Rattles Los Angeles, 2 Killed Many Injured

Associated Press — Sun, 18 Dec 2011 02:45:48 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A man who shot four people, killing two, at a utility office east of Los Angeles before turning the gun on himself was a 48-year-old company employee from Southern California, authorities said Saturday.

Investigators identified the shooter as Andre Turner of Norco in Riverside County and ruled that his death was a suicide, Los Angeles County coroner’s Lt. Larry Dietz told The Associated Press.

The two other men killed were Henry Serrano, 56, of Walnut and Robert Scott Lindsay, 53, of Chino Hills, coroner and company officials said.

Both men were managers in the information technology department and longtime Southern California Edison employees, the company said in a statement Saturday. Lindsay had worked for the company for 29 years, Serrano for 26.

Two other shooting victims were taken to hospitals in critical condition, the Sheriff’s Department said in a statement.

The injured were Angela Alvarez, 46, of Glendale, an Edison employee, and Abhay Pimpale, 38, of Montebello, an independent contractor, Edison said in a statement.

There was no new word on their conditions Saturday.

All five people worked in the same area of the same building at the office park in Irwindale, a small industrial city east of Los Angeles, authorities said.

Authorities have released no information on a possible motive for what the Edison statement called “one of the most horrific events the company has experienced in its 125-year history.”

A woman who picked up the phone at a number listed in Turner’s name declined to give her name or offer comment.

Several cars were parked in the driveway of Turner’s home in an upscale neighborhood near a golf club in in Norco, the Riverside Press-Enterprise reported. A woman standing on a balcony on the home’s second floor would not comment for the newspaper.

Turner’s real estate agent Shane Tucker said the home was up for a short sale and he and his wife were moving into a smaller place, but he still couldn’t see a motive for something so drastic.

“He seemed like a real stand-up guy,” Tucker told KABC-TV as he sat in a car outside the home where Turner had lived for six years as the original owner.

“I know he did put a lot of the money into the house, it’s really nice. I don’t see why short-selling the house would trigger anything negative, so it has to be something else.”

Horrified employees barricaded themselves behind locked doors and hid under desks Friday afternoon as Turner walked through the office firing a semi-automatic handgun, authorities said.

The office complex and nearby schools were locked down as the Los Angeles County Sheriff Department’s SWAT team responded to several 911 calls.

Some workers trapped inside the facility thought while the rampage was going on that it had left more people wounded.

Ron Orona of El Monte said his daughter, a 23-year-old employee who works in one of the adjacent buildings, said Turner had been in her building and talked to her boss about five minutes before the gunfire broke out. She heard the shots, and reached for her phone in a panic.

Turner and Lindsay were found dead at the scene, and Serrano died at a hospital, authorities said.

No gunfire was exchanged after officers arrived, and police believed Turner acted alone

In the hours after the shooting, police cars, ambulances and fire trucks surrounded the building, and dozens of workers emerged with their hands over their heads.

The complex is surrounded by a fence and patrolled by a security guard. Employees need a security card to get into the building, said Gil Alexander, a spokesman for Southern California Edison. About 230 employees work in the building where the shooting took place, and about 1,100 employees work in the complex.

Two nearby schools were locked for about two hours after the shooting and no one on the campuses was hurt.

The company said Saturday it was offering grief counseling for employees and is establishing a fund to support the victims’ families. Edison will donate $100,000 and seek employee contributions.

Irwindale is a city of about 1,400 residents in the San Gabriel Valley, 22 miles east of downtown Los Angeles. It is home to the Irwindale Speedway auto racetrack and large rock and gravel quarries.

Southern California Edison, a huge utility that provides power for most of the region, is one of its largest companies, employing 2,100 people.

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Black Music Industry Executive Dies After Being Shot By Crazy Man

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 13:49:15 +0000

LOS ANGELES-John Atterberry a music industry executive has died after being shot by the crazed guman who was randomly shooting at cars in Hollywood last week.

Atterberry had worked as a vice president for Death Row records and worked with artists Jessica Simpson, Brandy and the Spice Girls, producer Rodney Jerkins and comedian, Chris Tucker.

The Hollywood Reporter reports:

He most recently was senior partner and chief financial officer at the GridLock Group, an event promotions company. According to his bio on the firm’s Facebook page, the Los Angeles native got his start in A&R at Tabu Records. He then did a stint in fashion, working for Cross Colours and Karl Kani as head of marketing and promotions, before returning to the music business as vp at Death Row Records, home to such acts as Tupac Shukar, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg.

Police Kill Man Who Shot At Hollywood Drivers Yelling “Kill Me”

Associated Press — Fri, 09 Dec 2011 21:07:52 +0000

LOS ANGELES-A gunman, who was apparently firing randomly at passing cars, was shot and killed by police Friday in Hollywood, Calif.

Los Angeles police received a call about shots fired around 10:30 a.m. and responded to the scene at Sunset Boulevard and Vine Street. The suspect was killed and the area has been cordoned off by police.

It was unclear how many people were injured in the shooting. At least two people were being treated at the scene and at least one person has been transported to a hospital.

Witness Oscar Herrera told KABC the suspect fired at least nine shots, hitting a man driving a Mercedes and a woman driving a Toyota Camry, who fled her car on foot. Herrera said the the suspect ran out of bullets and pulled a knife before he was shot by police.

The suspect was reportedly shouting, “Kill me” and “I want to be killed.” He has not been identified.

Highly Sophisticated Drug Tunnel From Tijuana To San Diego Found

Associated Press — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 23:04:31 +0000

SAN DIEGO (AP) — The investigation into the largest marijuana bust at a cross-border tunnel followed a familiar timeline. It began in May and ended in November.

The secret passage linking warehouses in San Diego and Tijuana – equipped with a hydraulic lift, electric rail carts and a wooden staircase – highlights an emerging seasonal trend. For three years, authorities have found sophisticated tunnels on the U.S.-Mexico border shortly before the winter holidays in what officials speculate is an attempt by drug smugglers to take advantage of Mexico’s fall marijuana harvest.

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Two weeks ago, authorities seized 17 tons of marijuana in connection with a tunnel linking warehouses in San Diego and Tijuana. Authorities began investigating that passage in June, according to court filings.

Tuesday’s find netted more than 32 tons of marijuana – nearly 17 tons at a warehouse in San Diego’s Otay Mesa area, about 11 tons inside a truck in the Los Angeles area and 4 tons in Mexico. According to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration, it ranks as the second-largest pot bust in U.S. history if the drugs found on the Mexican side of the tunnel are counted and the third-largest without the Mexican stash.

As U.S. authorities heighten enforcement on land, tunnels have become an increasingly common way to smuggle enormous loads of marijuana. More than 70 passages have been found on the border since October 2008, surpassing the number of discoveries in the previous six years

Raids last November on two tunnels linking San Diego and Tijuana netted a combined 52 tons of marijuana on both sides of the border. In early December 2009, authorities found an incomplete tunnel that stretched nearly 900 feet into San Diego from Tijuana, equipped with an elevator at the Mexican entrance.

Authorities say central Mexico’s marijuana harvest in early October presents drug cartels with a familiar challenge for any farmer: how to quickly get products to consumers.

“It’s a significant amount of inventory that the cartels need to move and they need to move it in the most expeditious and efficient way,” said Derek Benner, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s special agent in charge of investigations in San Diego. “It’s like any other business. You’ve got a pile of inventory that you need to get moving and generate profits.”

William Sherman, the DEA’s acting special agent in charge in San Diego, said drug traffickers also may go on a pre-Christmas smuggling push to give themselves a “little bit of hiatus” over the holidays to visit family in Mexico. DEA wiretaps tend to go quiet during the holidays, he said.

It’s unclear whether cartels are building the tunnels in time for the winter holidays or if that’s when authorities just happen to find them.

Some U.S. authorities are inclined to think the cartels are timing construction for the fall harvest, based on their belief that this year’s two major finds in San Diego and one last year in San Diego were discovered shortly after they were completed. Heightened activity around building and operating the tunnels drew suspicion and exposed smugglers to getting caught.

It takes roughly six months to a year to build a tunnel, authorities say. Workers use shovels and pickaxes to slowly dig through the soil, sleeping in the warehouse until the job is done. Sometimes they use pneumatic tools.

The tunnel discovered Tuesday was about 40 feet deep, 4 feet wide and 4 feet high. It featured a wooden staircase at the U.S. entrance, located inside a large, white building with a long line of trucking docks.

The Mexican warehouse was on the same block as a federal police office and sits next to a runway at Tijuana’s main airport. It featured a hydraulic lift at the tunnel entrance that dropped about 30 feet. Its carpeted floors were found littered with garbage and dirty linen. The kitchen was stocked with tortillas and oranges, with a window painted black.

Six men were charged in federal courts in Southern California with conspiracy to distribute marijuana. No arrests were made in Mexico.

U.S. authorities linked last November’s find to Mexico’s Sinaloa cartel, led by Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman, that country’s most-wanted drug lord. U.S. and Mexican authorities declined to link Tuesday’s discovery to a specific cartel.

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Philly Calm But 4 Arrested In LA After Occupy Eviction Deadlines

Associated Press — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 20:26:08 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Wall Street protest encampments were largely intact in Los Angeles and Philadelphia on Monday, hours after deadlines for demonstrators to clear out passed without the acrimony that marked forced evictions in other cities.

Occupy LA Deadline Comes, Many Say They Won’t Go

Associated Press — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:41:54 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — The protesters whose tents line the lawn of Los Angeles City Hall made it clear that they received the eviction notice issued by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa. Whether they’ll heed it is much less certain.

With hours left before the Monday at 12:01 a.m. deadline the mayor and the police chief gave for Occupy LA, very few of the occupiers were packing, and many were instead were making plans for what to do when they stay.

Some handed out signs Saturday mocked up to look like the city’s notices to vacate, advertising a Monday morning “eviction block party.”

Dozens attended a teach-in on resistance tactics, including how stay safe in the face of rubber bullets, tear gas canisters and pepper spray.

Police gave few specifics about what tactics they would use if protesters ignored the deadline.

Chief Charlie Beck said at Friday’s news conference that officers would definitely not be sweeping through the camp and arresting everyone just after midnight.

In an interview with the Los Angeles Times published Sunday, Beck said that despite the lack of confrontations in the camp’s two-month run, he’s realistic about what might happen.

“I have no illusions that everybody is going to leave,” Beck said. “We anticipate that we will have to make arrests.”

But he added, “We certainly will not be the first ones to apply force.”

Villaraigosa announced Friday that despite his sympathy for the protesters’ cause, it was time for the camp of nearly 500 tents to leave for the sake of public health and safety.

The mayor said the movement is at a “crossroads,” and it must “move from holding a particular patch of park to spreading the message of economic justice.”

But occupiers showed no signs of giving up the patch of park too easily.

Will Picard, who sat Saturday in a tent amid his artwork with a “notice of eviction” sign posted outside, said the main organizers and most occupiers he knows intend to stay.

“Their plan is to resist the closure of this encampment and if that means getting arrested so be it,” Picard said. “I think they just want to make the police tear it down rather than tear it down themselves.”

But some agreed with the mayor that the protest had run its course.

“I’m going,” said Luke Hagerman, who sat looking sad and resigned in the tent he’s stayed in for a month. “I wish we could have got more done.”

Villaraigosa expressed pride that Los Angeles has lacked the tension, confrontation and violence seen at similar protests in other cities. But that peace was likely to get its biggest test on Monday.

Ue Daniels, 21, said as an artist he’s “as nonviolent as they come” but he planned on resisting removal any way he could.

“I think we’ll comply as far as putting our tents on the sidewalk maybe, that’s something that’s been going around.”

But as far as leaving altogether?

“They would probably have to drag me away,” he said.

Mayor Says Occupy L.A. Must Leave Camp By Monday

Associated Press — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:05:38 +0000

LOS ANGELES — The mayor of Los Angeles set a deadline for anti-Wall Street protesters to leave an encampment by City Hall, while demonstrators elsewhere in California took their message about corporate greed to Black Friday shoppers, at times facing off with police.

Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa lauded the Occupy movement for “awakening the country’s conscience,” but he said that after 56 days, the encampments that flank the two grassy areas adjacent to City Hall must be removed by 12:01 a.m. Monday for public health and safety reasons.

At an afternoon news conference with police Chief Charlie Beck, Villaraigosa said the movement that has spread in two months from New York to numerous other U.S. cities has “awakened the country’s conscience” — but also trampled grass at City Hall that must be restored.

“The movement is at a crossroads,” the mayor said. “It is time for Occupy LA to move from holding a particular patch of park land to spreading the message of economic justice and signing more people up for the push to restore the balance to American society.”

The camp of about 485 tents was unsustainable because public health and safety could not be maintained, and the park had to be cleared, cleaned and restored for the public’s access, he said.

Later Friday, protesters demonstrated in the streets near San Francisco’s tony and touristy Union Square during the annual Macy’s Christmas tree lighting ceremony, disrupting traffic but otherwise causing few other problems.

Lines of police officers in riot gear faced off with dozens of demonstrators who were trying to discourage shoppers from shopping at Macy’s and other stores in the popular tourist area.

Demonstrators used signs to spread an anti-consumerism message. One, 9-year-old Jacob Hamilton, held a sign that read, “What is in your bag that’s more important than my education?”

Earlier, some of the protesters from the Occupy movements in San Francisco and Oakland clashed with police when they briefly blocked the city’s iconic cable cars until officers pushed them out of the street.

Some of the participants in what protesters called “Don’t Buy Anything Day” sat down in the middle of Market Street, San Francisco’s main thoroughfare, and blocked traffic while chanting, “Stop shopping and join us!”

“I wanted us both to be here for the children,” said protester Steve Hamilton, a screenwriter who traveled to the city from Winters, Calif., with his son Jacob. “I see how the education deficit directly affects the schools; how the teachers struggle with so many kids in the classrooms and a lack of books. It’s not fair to this generation.”

A group of about 20 Occupy protesters in Sacramento marched from a park to a small outdoor mall where many of the storefronts are empty. A police officer on a bicycle trailed the crowd.

A few puzzled shoppers, many toting large shopping bags, stopped to stare at the crowd as they read a manifesto asking people to support local merchants.

At a Macy’s store, the group stayed for several minutes chanting slogans such as, “They call it profit; we call it robbery.” Several shoppers crowded around taking photos with their cellphones.

In Emeryville, a small city on San Francisco Bay, more than 60 people attended a Native American community’s 10th annual Black Friday protest of the Bay Street Mall.

Corrina Gould, a lead organizer for Indian People Organizing for Change, said the goal is to educate shoppers that the mall was built in 2002 on a sacred Ohlone burial site.

About one-third of the people came from neighboring Oakland’s Occupy movement, and Gould said having the new voices was invigorating.

In his comments, Villaraigosa told campers to start packing up their tents and said he believed the move would be peaceful, unlike some of the tumult other cities have seen.

“I’m proud of the fact that this has been a peaceful, non-violent protest,” he said. “I trust that we can manage the closure of City Hall Park in the same spirit of cooperation.”

Outside City Hall, Occupy LA protester Opamago Casciani, 20, said he found the Mayor’s priorities insulting, and he intends to continue demonstrating peacefully through the deadline.

In response to the Mayor’s comments, Casciani said “What I got from it is ‘I value grass more than the people.’”

Beck said police will be patient with laggards who were working to leave at the time of the deadline — but said the city’s law enforcement will no longer look the other way.

“After 56 days of not enforcing three city laws that prohibit the use of that park, the time is now,” said Beck.

Ex-Porn Star Reading To LA Students Causes Stir

Associated Press — Sun, 13 Nov 2011 00:13:00 +0000

COMPTON, Calif. (AP) — Some parents have filed complaints with the Parent-Teacher Association after a former adult film star said she read to children in a classroom at a Los Angeles County elementary school.

Sasha Grey, a 23-year-old ex-porn actress who has appeared in mainstream shows like HBO’s “Entourage,” was a guest earlier this month at Compton’s Emerson Elementary School for Read Across America Day.

Grey tweeted Nov. 2 that she spent the day reading to students in the first and third grades.

KTLA-TV quoted parents questioning whether it was appropriate to have Grey at the school. Parent Dudley Wheaton wondered why the school couldn’t find a fireman or a police officer to read to students.

Grey has not appeared in porn films in over two years. She has been a regular on “Entourage” and appeared in the 2009 film “The Girlfriend Experience.”

Obama Says Limo Smells Like Chicken After “Roscoes” Trip

Associated Press — Thu, 27 Oct 2011 16:59:57 +0000

LOS ANGELES-President Barack Obama spoke with talk show host, Jay Leno during his recent trip to Los Angeles.

Obama discussed his trip to the legendary “Roscoes Chicken and Waffles,” saying that “I’m eating the wings and you’ve got the hot sauce on there, the fancy presidential limousine smelling like chicken.”

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Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Unethical? L.A. Cop Puts Photo Of Murder Victim On Twitter

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:48:49 +0000

LOS ANGELES-LAPD Homicide Detective Sal LaBarbera who is an active Twitter user is drawing heat for recently posting a picture of a homicide victim with the caption “guess where i’m at? …it never ends.”

Labarbera has 1,400 followers on Twitter under the name LAMurderCop.

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L.A. Weekly Reports:

According to City News Service, 32-year-old Oscar Arevalo was shot dead that day on the sidewalk, in the 10600 block of Wilmington Avenue, around 9 a.m. Police have since announced that they believe two gang-affiliated suspects walked up to him, delivered the fatal bullets and ran away. They’re still on the loose.

Inside Job? 21 Machine Guns Stolen From LAPD SWAT Team

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 17:38:51 +0000

LOS ANGELES-21 MP-5 submachine guns and 12 .45 caliber handguns were stolen from a building used to store equipment for the LAPD SWAT Team.

Police are not sure if the theft was an inside job and are currently investigating the matter.

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The Los Angeles Times reports:

Members of the SWAT unit, which specializes in hostage rescues and other high-risk situations, were scheduled to train at the facility Thursday, Downing said. A police officer arriving at the building around 9 a.m. Thursday discovered the weapons were missing, according to Downing. The officer also found electrical equipment stacked near a back door, indicating the burglars may still have been working and fled when the officer arrived.

Downing said the building, although not a guarded LAPD facility, was considered secure. To get to the weapons, the thieves cut through bolt locks on an outside door and two internal doors and forced their way through a metal roll gate, he said.

Top Five Riots In Black Communities Across The Globe

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 19:49:20 +0000

Call them riots or civil insurrections, when a disenfranchised population is triggered by an event that symbolizes their shared grievances, the consequences can be the unleashing of years of suppressed frustration and rage. While it is common for governments to blame the rioters, a detailed look at the causes show that the law and law enforcement often responsible for the loss of law and order. Here are the five most notable riots in Black communities across the globe.

5. Watts Riot, 1965

In 1965, three members of a black family in Los Angeles were locked up by police for protesting the arrest of their brother. Fueled by unemployment, poor schools and housing discrimination, discontent in the Watts neighborhood erupted and people began to loot, vandalize, and clash with police and white motorists. The riot lasted for six days. Thirty-four people were killed, 1,032 injured, and 3,952 arrested. Police commissioner, William Parker, fueled the fires by saying that the rioters acted “like monkeys in a zoo”

A California gubernatorial commission found the causes of the riot to be high unemployment, poor schools, and other inferior living conditions.

4. Detroit Riots, 1967

In 1967, police raided a after hours party in Detroit and tried to arrest 82 people who were celebrating the homecoming of two soldiers from Vietnam. This resulted in a neighborhood protest that lead to looting, vandalism and arson. Once again the National Guard was called in after five days of rioting. At the end of the chaos, 43 people were dead, 1189 injured, and over 7000 were arrested.

The Detroit Free Press cited the causes of the riot as racism, economic inequality, and poor housing.

3. Notting Hill Riots England, 1976

Riots with roots in racism and police brutality are not unique to the U.S. In 1976, during the West Indian carnival in Notting Hill, London, West Indian youths revolted against arbitrary mass arrests and began clashing with the police, throwing bottles and other objects at police and their vehicles. The causes for the riot are often cited as an occupational police presence and unemployment among the West Indian youths.

2. Los Angeles Riots, 1992

One of the most prominent riots of the 20th Century was the 1992 civil insurrection sparked by the acquittal of four officers in the videotaped beating of Black motorist Rodney King. After the officers were acquitted, African Americans began to protest at the Los Angeles County courthouse and LAPD headquarters. A large group of Black citizens convened at the corner of Florence and Normandie confronted a group of officers, who then retreated because they were outnumbered. By the evening the crowd on Florence and Normandie began looting and attacking white motorists, including truck driver Reginald Denny.

Looting, arson and violence continued and eventually the National Guard was called in. The riots wound up killing 53 people and causing more the one billion dollars worth of damage.

The Christopher Commission sited the causes of the L.A. Riots as high unemployment, racial profiling and police brutality.

1. French Riots, 2005

In October of 2005, two teenagers in a Paris suburb were chased by police into a power station where the boys were electrocuted. Protests and unrest subsequently ensued. Civil unrest spread to poor housing projects in other parts of France including violence, arson and clashes with police.

Almost 9,000 cars were burned and 3,000 people were arrested and 126 policemen and firefighters were injured. The BBC listed the causes of the riot as unemployment and discrimination against immigrants.

Feds Find L.A. Provides Inferior Education To Black Students

Associated Press — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 12:24:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A 19-month civil rights investigation of the Los Angeles Unified School District found that the district failed to provide an equal education to English-learners and black students, resulting in wide academic disparities, the U.S. Department of Education announced Tuesday.

The district, the nation’s second-largest, agreed to remedy the disparities through a variety of measures, including a complete overhaul of its English-learning program and improving resources such as computers and library books to schools with predominantly black student bodies.

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U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan, who unveiled the agreement at a news conference at LAUSD headquarters, said it would help ensure that every student in the nation’s second largest school district would receive the same academic opportunities “regardless of race or national origin.”

Noting that these issues are “incredibly complex and politically charged,” Duncan said he was encouraged by the district’s sense of urgency and willingness to voluntarily remedy the disparities without an order.

“Though we still have a long way to go before we see that English learner students and African-American students are consistently getting what they need to perform up to their fullest potential, I’m confident today’s agreement will help address the causes of concern that prompted our review,” he said.

Duncan stopped short of saying that students’ civil rights were violated and did not reveal detailed results of the investigation, just the terms of the agreement. But the Education Department said in a statement that it will monitor the district’s compliance with the agreement until educational codes are met.

The agreement was the result of a “compliance review” by the Education Department’s Office of Civil Rights, which was concerned about wide achievement gaps between the district’s lowest performing student groups and other students.

Only 5 percent of high school English language learners ranked as proficient in either English or math; for black students, 32 percent ranked as proficient in English and 9 percent in math, according to the district’s 2009-10 report card.

The overall district average was 37 percent proficient in English and 17 percent in math.

LAUSD Superintendent John Deasy said the district did not dispute that disparities exist and worked to hammer out a solution with federal officials. The district will be studying how to fund the measures as plans for specific areas are developed.

The district’s English-language learning program has long been criticized for allowing non-native speakers to remain in English-learning programs for years, sometimes throughout their school careers, never meeting the criteria to move into mainstream classes. Students often fall behind grade level and end up dropping out.

For the 2009-2010 school year, only 14.4 percent of English learners were reclassified as fluent.

Under the agreement, the district agreed to completely revamp its nearly 200,000-student English-learning program by next school year, with special emphasis on high school students who have not been deemed proficient in English in order to take courses needed for graduation. The district has the highest number of English-learning students in the nation.

English-learners will receive grade-level courses, teachers will be trained to handle multiple English-proficiency levels and special-education teachers will receive English-instructional materials.

The program will also include a component aimed at black students aimed at boosting their “academic language proficiency” starting in elementary grades.

The investigation also found black students are underrepresented in gifted and talented programs but overrepresented in suspensions and disciplinary actions. Schools with predominantly black populations also lack technology and library resources.

The district agreed to remedy those disparities with fairer evaluation of gifted and talented programs and disciplinary actions, and allocating more computers and increasing library book collections.

A school-based community pilot program will be launched in an African-American neighborhood to provide health and social services, he said. No details were revealed.

Warren Fletcher, president of teachers union United Teachers Los Angeles, praised the Education Department for shining a light on longstanding disparities, but noted that the district has laid off more than 1,200 teachers and closed libraries in many schools.

“It’s very general,” he said of the agreement. “We have to see how those services are going to be provided.”

Parent Irma Munoz, who has had three children go through the district’s English learner program, said the program needed to be overhauled. Her children were put in classes with English speaking teachers who they could not understand, she said.

“It’s a bad program,” she said.

Hollywood Black Film Festival Announces 2011 Film Lineup

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Thu, 06 Oct 2011 21:22:49 +0000

The prestigious Hollywood Black Film Festival dubbed “The Black Sundance” has announced its lineup for the 2011 Festival which will happen October 27-30th.

The Festival will screen 51 films, including 9 feature films, 11 documentaries and 27 short films.

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The feature films include, “Rocksteady” a movie about the son of a Jamaican immigrant who becomes a race car driver, “Threading Needles” a story of an African immigrant who falls in love with a white girl and “Chicken And Beef Presents “Monkey Gang” The Mockumentary” a mock documentary comedy parodying negativity in hip-hop.

Other features include, “Billy” a story about an African American photographer who encounters racism and opposition when he moves to Canada in 1906, “A Mother’s Love,” a family drama, “Mystery Of Birds,” the story of the struggles of a Nigerian female who immigrates to the U.S., “Fish Above Sea Level” a Jordanian film and “Changing The Game” the story of a Black man from the streets who infiltrates Wall Street only to find out the Wall Street is as crooked as the streets.

Documentaries include, two Jamaican films, “Bad Friday, Rastafari After Coral Gardens,” a movie about Jamaican oppression of Rastafarians during the 1960s, and “Bob Marley: The Making Of A Legend” which covers Bob Marley’s early years. Other docs include, “Infiltrating Hollywood: The Rise And Fall Of The Spook That Sat By The Door,” a movie about Sam Greenlee’s epic movie, “The Spook That Sat By The Door” and “Phunny Business” a film about the legendary Chicago comedy club, “All Jokes Aside”

For more information on The Hollywood Black Film Festival go to www.hbff.org.

Man Released From Jail After Murder Conviction Is Overturned

Associated Press — Wed, 05 Oct 2011 17:46:57 +0000

LOS ANGELES — With supporters chanting “Obie, Obie,” a man who spent 17 years behind bars won his freedom Tuesday evening just days after a judge overturned his murder conviction.

Obie Anthony, 37, collapsed into the arms of family members, who screamed and cried as he walked out of a downtown Los Angeles jail.

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Anthony, who spent his incarceration reading self-help books, said he always believed he would be released and struggled to express his emotions about his newfound freedom.

“It’s really overwhelming at this point,” said Anthony. “It’s going to take a couple of days before everything really sets all the way in.”

Anthony was convicted of fatally shooting a man outside a South Los Angeles brothel in a 1995 trial and sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole. But last Friday, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kelvin D. Filer overturned Anthony’s conviction after determining that the prosecution’s star witness, a pimp, lied to the jury.

The 1994 shooting death was featured prominently in “The Killing Season,” a book about two Los Angeles Police Department homicide detectives by former Los Angeles Times reporter Miles Corwin.

Anthony said he wasn’t at the scene and has maintained his innocence. His case drew the attention of students with the Project for the Innocent at Loyola Law School who worked with the Northern California Innocence Project at Santa Clara University School of Law.

After 3 1/2 years of research that included visiting the crime scene and re-interviewing witnesses, an evidentiary hearing was held in September.

Laurie Levenson, director of the Project for the Innocent, said the pimp has since retracted his testimony and said he never saw the shooter.

Anthony thanked his legal team for “coming to my rescue” and vowed by pay it forward by helping others who are wrongfully convicted.

Levenson called Anthony’s release her “greatest moment ever.”

“I’m so happy for Obie,” she said, then turning to him. “Obie, have a wonderful life.”

Despite being locked up for most of his adult life, Anthony said he didn’t harbor any anger and believed the justice system worked.

“I knew from the very beginning that justice will come,” he said. “I never once wavered in my faith.”

Anthony admitted he had a lot to learn about the world including learning about technology that didn’t exist when he went to jail. On his to-do list as a free man: Attend a Los Angeles Lakers game, eat a real meal and start a life with his fiancee Denise Merchant.

Merchant and Anthony have known each other since they were teenagers, but didn’t start dating until 3 1/2 years ago. They became engaged 1 1/2 years ago during a jailhouse visit in which Anthony got down on one knee to propose with a ring that she bought.

“It was nice and sweet,” said Merchant, who wore a T-shirt bearing Anthony’s face.

After posing for a few pictures with his legal team, Anthony and his family walked to the parking garage across the street trailed by television crews and news photographers.

Tragic! HS Cheerleader Mysteriously Dies While Cheering

Associated Press — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 15:16:16 +0000

LOS ANGELES— When students return for school Monday morning at Washington Prep, they’ll be greeted by crisis counselors and missing one of their beloved classmates, a cheerleader who died after collapsing during a football game.

Angela Gettis, a 16-year-old sophomore at the school, was rallying the crowd Friday night in the fourth quarter of a tie game at Fremont High School when she suffered an apparent cardiac arrest, Los Angeles Unified School District spokesman Tom Waldman said.

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The game stopped as coaches and trainers ran to help. Bystanders performed CPR while waiting for paramedics to arrive. Gettis died about three hours later at a hospital, becoming the second teenage girl from Los Angeles district schools to die over the weekend after a dramatic campus incident.

School officials planned to discuss Gettis at a Monday morning news conference.

School district Superintendent John Deasy said the girl was “a wonderful young lady. It is a catastrophic loss for the school and for the community. My heart goes out to her family.”

Gettis was a good student, said officials at the inner-city school in a rough area of Los Angeles. She planned to attend college and wanted to major in forensic science, school principal Todd Ullah told KABC-TV.

At least two tribute pages memorializing the teen popped up on Facebook as news of her death spread.

Grief counselors and a makeshift memorial also await students at South East High School in South Gate, where a 17-year-old student was stabbed during a lunch break in front of many student witnesses.

The student, Cindi Santana, died at a hospital late Friday night, Deasy said.

Another student and an administrator who tried to help Santana had minor injuries.

Santana’s former boyfriend, 18-year-old Abraham Lopez, was being held on suspicion of murder, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department said in a statement. Deputies reached by phone did not know whether he had retained an attorney.

Rapper Jayo Felony Accused Of Squatting At A Hollywood Mansion

NewsOne Staff — Mon, 26 Sep 2011 19:11:32 +0000

West coast rap legend Jayo Feleony is under investigation by authorities for allegedly squatting in a foreclosed mansion in the Hollywood Hills.

Residents of the the neighborhood claim the rapper illegally entered the property and has since disturbed the community with his loud music and rampant marijuana smoking, which neighbors say they can smell from their properties.

Court Aprroves Ron Artest’s Name Change To “Metta World Peace”

Associated Press — Sat, 17 Sep 2011 16:24:58 +0000

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Ron Artest’s bid to become Mr. World Peace was delayed, but not denied.

A court commissioner granted the Lakers forward’s request to officially change his name to Metta World Peace on Friday, three weeks after the bid was blocked because Artest had unpaid traffic tickets.

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Artest, 31, did not attend a brief hearing Friday.

Superior court spokeswoman Patricia Kelly said that Artest’s new last name will be World Peace.

His publicist, Courtney Barnes, said the player chose Metta because it is a traditional Buddhist word that means loving and kindness toward all.

“Changing my name was meant to inspire and bring youth together all around the world,” World Peace said in a statement released after the hearing. “After this short delay, my tickets have been paid and I’m glad that it is now official.”

He requested the change in June, citing only personal reasons. He is scheduled to appear on the next season of “Dancing With the Stars.”

Barnes wrote in an email that World Peace will now have to get a new driver’s license to reflect his new name, but the switch won’t affect his contracts with the Lakers or any endorsement deals.

Artest helped the Lakers win an NBA title in 2010 and in April he received an award for outstanding service and dedication to the community.

He has testified before Congress to support mental health legislation.

Artest isn’t the first athlete to adopt an unusual name.

Lloyd Bernard Free, a professional basketball player who played in the league from 1975-88, had his first name legally changed to World in 1981. A friend had given him the nickname because of his 44-inch vertical leaps and 360-degree dunks.

In the NFL, wide receiver Chad Johnson legally changed his last name to Ochocinco in August 2008 to reflect his jersey number. The name means “eight five” in Spanish. Ochocinco is now with the New England Patriots.

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DEA Claims Interscope Records Office Was Used To Ship Cocaine

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Fri, 16 Sep 2011 20:23:58 +0000

LOS ANGELES — According to the DEA, James “Jimmy Henchmen” Rosemond used the Los Angeles office of Interscope Records to import cocaine to Los Angeles.

Rosemond managed “The Game” who is an artist on Interscope, and “The Game’s” road manager is also implicated in the incident.

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The Smoking Gun reports:

Members of a narcotics ring that sent large amounts of cocaine and cash back and forth across the U.S. in music “road cases” arranged pickups and deliveries at the offices of Interscope Records, a music industry power whose roster includes artists like U2, Eminem, and Lady Gaga, according to federal investigators.

Since Rosemond headed a music and talent management firm, investigators allege, he was able to “disguise these shipments as legitimate freight that was ostensibly needed by the performance artists he managed,” according to a U.S. District Court filing. The coke- and cash-filled cases were shipped under accounts belonging to Rosemond’s Czar Entertainment and the “road manager for one of the performing-artists Rosemond managed,” prosecutors added.

2 USC Students Shot Over Stolen Dr. Dre Beats Headphones

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Tue, 06 Sep 2011 15:38:38 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Two students were shot at the Univeristy Of Southern California dorm after a confrontation over stolen headphones, according to officials.

After two USC students noticed some Dr. Dre headphones were missing after a party at an USC apartment complex, they confronted a man who they suspected of stealing them, who shot them accoring to reports:

CBS Los Angeles reports:

Police say when the student’s friends stepped in to help, the suspect pulled out a small caliber handgun shooting both. Police say one bullet hit a female graduate student’s hand and then struck a USC junior in the chest. “The round she took to the finger slowed down the impact of the bullet entering the male victim’s chest and most likely saved his life,” said Captain Melissa Zak.

Mitrice Richardson’s Family To Get $900K If Settlement Reached

TheGrio — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 19:42:07 +0000

The parent’s of Mitrice Richardson will receive $900,000 if a settlement is reached in the wrongful death suit against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, according to the Los Angeles Times.

The county Board of Supervisors approved a settlement in a closed-door meeting last Tuesday, subject to all parties signing a final agreement, according to county counsel Roger Grabo.

“The settlement is not final,” Grabo said, declining to say more.

Mitrice Richardson was released from a LA jail in 2009 with no car, no phone and no money, and went missing for almost a year until her remains were found in a remote canyon. Her mother filed a lawsuit against the jail this week.

Feds To Investigate Discrimination Against Blacks In L.A. Projects

Associated Press — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 11:15:28 +0000

PALMDALE, Calif. — With affordable housing and plenty of open space, the sun-scorched high desert of north Los Angeles County has long been a draw for some families looking to escape urban grit for a safe place to raise kids.

But some minority residents who tried to make that fresh start in Lancaster and Palmdale say they were met with discrimination by law enforcement and government officials.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice announced it was investigating claims that deputies with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department discriminated against blacks and Latinos, especially those living in subsidized housing.

“Every time I look up, the police are over here,” Palmdale resident Doriann Johnson said. “They think everybody is suspects. It’s all day, every day.”

Warrantless Searches

Justice officials will determine if deputies violated the civil rights of residents while conducting warrantless searches – sometimes with guns drawn – at housing projects while accompanying housing officials on inspections.

The probe of the nation’s largest sheriff’s department also will examine whether deputies tried to identify residents of subsidized housing during routine traffic stops in the region about an hour’s drive north of Los Angeles.

“I don’t see them pull any Caucasians over with their mohawks and big-hoop earrings,” said Norris Carter, 26, who claimed he had been arrested after an unjustified traffic stop and manhandled by a deputy who threw him to the ground and left him on hot pavement.

Federal officials have drawn no conclusions, but preliminary results indicated the cities appear to have unusually high rates of misdemeanor arrests, particularly of blacks, Assistant U.S. Attorney General Tom Perez said at a news conference.

Talking to people in the community, “we heard troubling accounts of allegedly unjustified stops and seizures,” he said. “We will be investigating whether there is, indeed, a practice of racially motivated stops and/or arrests. We intend to peel the onion to its core.”

Both cities contract with the Sheriff’s Department for law enforcement services. If federal officials find any problematic patterns, it could lead to a court-mandated consent decree that would require the Sheriff’s Department to adopt changes.

Violated Civil Rights

Sheriff Lee Baca said he had not seen any complaints that specific deputies at stations in Lancaster or Palmdale had violated civil rights. However, Baca said he has been fully cooperating with the investigation, which he welcomed along with any complaints from citizens.

While it’s important to fight crime at housing projects, “we are not going to enforce the law on the backs of the poor who, in effect, are obeying the law,” the sheriff said. “Civil rights are not a threat to law enforcement but the essence of law enforcement.”

Street after street in Lancaster and Palmdale is lined with beige or salmon-pink apartment buildings advertising cheap rents, zero down payments and sometimes the option of using housing subsidies.

Sitting on front lawns and porches to escape the summer heat inside their homes, some people said they were fed up.

Deanna Allen said she lost her six-bedroom, subsidized housing after her 16-year-old son came to visit her, an apparent violation of his probation in a criminal case. The housing had cost her only $375 a month, with the government picking up the remainder of the $2,000 tab.

“They came with probation officers and five or six police,” Allen said of her encounter with authorities.

The discrimination issue has been simmering for years, with residents saying things took a turn for the worst after R. Rex Parris was elected mayor of Lancaster in 2008. They claim he bumped minority members from city panels and boards, and embarked on a systematic crackdown on residents of subsidized housing, often having deputies accompany housing officers on compliance checks.

“There is a concerted effort among elected officials in Palmdale and Lancaster to do ethnic cleansing,” said Jesse Smith, a board member of the Community Action League, a plaintiff in a June civil rights lawsuit filed against the two cities. Officials in both cities have denied the allegations.

Palmdale Mayor James Ledford Jr. said the city takes pride in its diversity. Since he took office in 1992, he has seen his city evolve from a mainly white town to one where more than 50 percent of residents are Latino.

“Inclusion has always been my mantra,” he said. “We absolutely would never stand for what I am hearing is being investigated.”

Ledford said he was not aware of any racial concerns and urged residents to come to City Council meetings if they had issues.

Parris did not return multiple calls seeking comment. Nicole Allen, a spokeswoman for Lancaster, said the city had no comment.

Los Angeles County Supervisor Mike Antonovich, whose district spans the cities, called the federal investigation overkill.

“Inquiries should be based on compelling evidence and facts, not grandstanding,” he said in a statement that also called the allegations absurd, and noted that 86 percent of the subsidy recipients in Lancaster and Palmdale are minorities.

Lancaster has a population of 145,000, while neighboring Palmdale is a city of 152,000.

The civil rights lawsuit claimed the cities have targeted minority families with unnecessary sweeps at housing complexes and created an advertising campaign to dissuade voucher participants from moving there.

The lawsuit does not name the Sheriff’s Department as a defendant but notes that deputies accompanied federal housing authority investigators on compliance checks.

Baca said his department has worked with the county Office of Independent Review, an oversight panel, to develop protocols for future interactions with county Housing Authority investigators.

Michael Gennaco, who heads the review board, said lines may have been blurred in the past between housing enforcement and regular policing, and deputies needed better guidance.

“If the DOJ identifies other issues, bring it on,” he said.

A July 2010 report by the Police Assessment Resource Center found a “seemingly overzealous” use of obstruction charges to arrest black people in the Lancaster area. The same report also found deputies were more likely to use force used against minorities during an obstruction arrest than against whites.

The center is a Los Angeles-based nonprofit police oversight organization headed by Merrick Bobb, who has been retained for many years as special counsel to the county Board of Supervisors to monitor and review the Sheriff’s Department.

Bobb and the center issue semiannual reports to the board.

“That’s So Raven” Star Arrested For DUI With Pregnant Girlfriend

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Mon, 15 Aug 2011 15:07:29 +0000

LOS ANGELES — “That’s So Raven” star Orlando Brown was arrested for drinking under the influence in Los Angeles while with his pregnant girlfriend.

The New York Daily News reports:

The LAPD first pulled the 23-year-old over because he was driving without a license plate, but once they got close enough to smell alcohol on his breath, they administered a field sobriety test, which he failed, authorities said.

Section 8 Renters Facing Scrutiny In Los Angeles Suburbs

Johan Thomas — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 17:51:52 +0000

LANCASTER, CALIF.–The town of Lancaster, Calif., a suburb of Los Angeles, is under investigation for allegedly discriminating against Black and Latino renters who use Section 8 vouchers to pay their rent. According to reports, residents claim they’re being unjustly surveilled by neighbors and harassed with unannounced visits by sheriff’s deputies and county housing agents.

At the same time, housing authority officials are working to weed out Section 8 abusers who are selling drugs out of their homes, housing extra residents and bringing crime from the big city to these quaint suburban enclaves.

Lancaster’s Mayor R. Rex Paris has said for years that the area is treated as a “dumping grounds” for L.A.’s poor.

Mr. Parris has repeatedly said that Lancaster should be “waging a war” against the Section 8 program, which provides housing vouchers to low-income families, because there are disproportionately more recipients living in the area than in the rest of the county.

Schools Reinvent Summer Learning With Yoga, Nutrition Training

The Grio — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 23:45:42 +0000

LOS ANGELES — At a time when summer school and learning programs are losing funding and being cut, Freedom School — a summer learning program — is thriving, enriching kids lives in Southern Los Angeles with its reading, history, nutrition and even yoga curriculum.

Born out of the Civil Rights era, when teaching poor Blacks meant supplementing reading, writing and arithmetic, the six-week-long program’s goal is to re-invent summer school for kids who lack options when school is not in session.

“We have to go back and kind of shore up the things that are not being done within our schools,” according to Aaron Burleson, Manager of the Freedom school.

Reporter Shot With BB Gun During Newscast

Casey Gane-McCalla, Lead Blogger — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 16:02:23 +0000

LOS ANGELES- — A reporter for KABC-TV channel 7 in Los Angeles was shot with a BB gun during a live newscast last week.

Leanne Suter, who was standing near a highway when she was reporting on a story, was shot with a BB gun and it was caught on video.

The Huffington Post Reports:

Suter and her photographer came under fire during the 6 p.m. newscast, although Suter was the only one hit, according to ABC News. She was treated at a nearby hospital and released without serious injury.

TV Reporter Speaks About Speech Problem At Grammys

Woman Grabs Stranger’s Baby From Stroller, Tries To Eat Arm

Gerren Keith Gaynor — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 20:05:38 +0000

LOS ANGELES–A crazed woman reportedly grabbed a stranger’s baby from out of a stroller, slammed the infant into a pole and tried to break the baby’s arm off so that she could eat it.

The infant’s mother and aunt fought off the suspect Natasha Hubbard, until she fled. With the help of witnesses, the police were able to locate Hubbard. The baby suffered bruises and scratches as a result of the attack.

LA prosecutors have charged Hubbard, 36, with aggravated assault, and it is believed she may have other victims.

Julian Bond, Don Lemon, Wanda Sykes Speak At NAACP, LGBT Forum

Gerren Keith Gaynor — Thu, 28 Jul 2011 14:49:25 +0000

LOS ANGELES — The NAACP hosted a LGBT forum at its 102nd national convention to discuss lesbian and gay issues within the Black community.

Civil Rights activist and former NAACP chairman Julian Bond, CNN anchor Don Lemon, and comedienne Wanda Sykes were three of the panelists who spoke before members.

In the town hall styled forum, Bond said that gay rights are civil rights, and that “sexual disposition parallels race.”

“We know sexual orientation is not a choice. We know homosexuality is not a mental illness. We know you can’t pray the gay away,” he said.

Lemon and Sykes, who are both openly gay and lesbian, spoke about the difficulty in embracing their sexuality in face of societal opposition.

“You just suppress everything and become this other person,” Sykes said. “You start living that life that you think that you’re supposed to do.”

Lemon, who divulged his sexuality after the release of his autobiographical book Transparent, said that there is much work to be done in the Black community.

The forum is one of many tactics the NAACP has executed to diversify its political and social agenda. On the heels of criticisms that the organization has lost its luster over the years, it has made conscious efforts to include agendas beyond race issues, incorporating the agendas of all minority groups —something some feel is more representative of the NAACP first convened in 1909.

SOURCE

Too Frisky! LA Officer Fired For Being In Porn Film

Associated Press — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 16:39:24 +0000

LOS ANGELES — A Los Angeles traffic officer was fired for appearing in a pornographic film while on duty more than three years ago.

John Dancler was dismissed Monday for misconduct on the job and engaging in indecent acts that reflected poorly on the city workforce, according to his notice of discharge obtained Thursday by The Associated Press.

The inappropriate acts include “groping the bare breasts, spanking the bare buttocks, and being straddled by an adult video actress in public,” the notice said.

Dancler’s dismissal was first reported Thursday by the Los Angeles Times.

Dancler , a 23-year veteran of the city’s Department of Transportation, has filed an appeal challenging his discharge, and his request will be considered July 28 by the city’s Civil Service Commission, its executive director Bruce Whidden said.

A call to Dancler’s attorney Bobby Samini was not immediately returned.

Dancler and another traffic officer came under investigation three months ago after KNBC reported they appeared in a video showing a uniformed officer spanking and fondling an actress. One scene shows the actress performing lewd acts in a city car.

The other officer received appropriate discipline and is still working, transportation department spokesman Bruce Gillman said. He declined to elaborate on the discipline because state law protects the privacy of employees when they don’t appeal a disciplinary action.

15-Year-Old Girl Shot At L.A. Anti-Gang Event

Associated Press — Thu, 21 Jul 2011 19:40:44 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Two teens were shot and wounded in an apparent gang shooting Thursday outside a Los Angeles recreation center that is part of the city’s program to reduce violence in the streets by keeping public parks well-lit and open at night, police said.

A 15-year-old girl was shot in the back and a 19-year-old man was shot in the hand as they were leaving a Summer Night Lights event at the Wilmington Recreation Center, Lt. John Pasquariello said. They were hospitalized in critical condition.

The shooting came hours before delegates to the U.S. Conference of Mayors Summer Leadership Meeting in Los Angeles planned to attend a similar program in Boyle Heights. It was also the second time in a week that violence has erupted after one of the Summer Night Lights events, which are open from 8 p.m. until midnight and attended by police and gang-intervention workers.

A man was shot in the face near a South Los Angeles park after the lights were turned out last week. It provided all-too-real drama for actors Jake Gyllenhaal and Michael Pena, who were on scene at the time while on a police ride-along to prepare for an upcoming movie.

The Summer Night Lights program was created to curtail gang violence during the summer by lighting up 32 parks and recreation centers, where youngsters are supervised as they play sports, watch movies or participate in other activities.

City officials have credited it with drastic crime reductions: Since the program began in 2008, homicides have dropped by more than half and violent crime has fallen by 40 percent. More locations have been added yearly even as the city made cuts elsewhere.

But Thursday’s shooting highlighted the inherent dangers for young people living in gang-infested neighborhoods, said Guillermo Cespedes, city deputy mayor for gang reduction.

“This is absolutely unfortunate,” Cespedes said. “We are picking some of the most volatile sites in the city because it’s a violence-reduction program.”

Cespedes said there had been several violent incidents around closing time at previous events, but there had never been a shooting inside a park itself.

Deputy Chief Pat Gannon said he would beef up police presence around closing time at parks.

“We are going to adjust our deployments to make sure we are not leaving ourselves vulnerable,” he said.

Latino Gang Charged With Terrorizing Blacks In LA

“Carmageddon” Strikes L.A. As Major Freeway Closes

Associated Press — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 18:34:02 +0000

LOS ANGELES — Thousands of doctors and nurses will bunk at hospitals, an emergency operation center will be set up and Southern California residents are being urged to stay home and stock up on food.

One major airline offered $4 seats to help people avoid the looming mess, selling out of tickets in three hours.

The crisis?

A 10-mile stretch of Interstate 405 — a vital artery that links population centers north and south of the Santa Monica Mountains — is shutting down for 53 hours this weekend. The closure, a necessary part of a major highway reconstruction project, is being dubbed “Carmageddon,” evoking images of gridlock, road rage and other traffic nightmares that it might spawn in car-dependent Southern California.

Celebrities are among those sounding the alarm, via Twitter messages urging residents to stay off the road starting at midnight Friday.

“This weekend, LA! Avoid Carmageddon, Gas-zilla, 405-enstein, Grid-lock-apalooza! STAY HOME. Eat & shop local,” Tom Hanks tweeted this week.

Beyond tongue-in-cheek apocalyptic warnings, city leaders stressed that real public safety concerns exist: Helipads have been cleared for air ambulances and 200 extra firefighters and paramedics will be on duty, some of them positioned along the shuttered freeway to protect fire-prone hillsides in the area. Four big hospitals near the freeway on the city’s west side are setting up cots and putting thousands of doctors, nurses and medical personnel in hotels and dorm rooms so they don’t show up late to their shifts.

The UCLA Health System placed advanced orders for medical supplies and food, even preparing 5,200 box lunches for staff, ahead of the shutdown. It has three helicopter companies on standby to transport patients and human organs in the event of emergency operations.

“You can’t take a chance when you deal with patient safety and patient care,” said Dr. Wally Ghurabi, the emergency director of Santa Monica-UCLA Medical Center. He planned to sleep in the E.R. throughout the weekend instead of commuting the 20 miles from his home in Torrance to the hospital.

Authorities are hammering the same message to drivers. Starting last month, they flashed freeway electronic signs warning drivers to “EXPECT BIG DELAYS.”

“The best thing is to stay home if you can, don’t drive if you don’t have to,” said Michael Miles, a California Department of Transportation official. “Be prepared, treat it like it’s a disaster.”

On a typical July weekend, about a half-million vehicles use the section of the freeway, known locally as the 405, to get to major destinations such as the airport, beaches and interchanges to other major highways. Transportation officials said a full shutdown is necessary to replace the 50-year-old Mulholland Bridge as part of a $1 billion project to widen the perpetually bottlenecked segment through the Sepulveda Pass.

Authorities said a full closure was necessary to demolish one side the span, and they picked this weekend to minimize impact to traffic on a workday. They expect another closure next year to replace the other half.

To discourage driving, transit officials will offer free rides on the subway and certain bus lines and add more train service.

Anticipating potential backups caused by drivers who won’t heed the warnings, the city plans to deploy traffic engineers to monitor the ripple effect on roads and to manage key intersections. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa is urging residents to stay close to home and shop locally if they must go out.

“We need every Angeleno to chip in and turn this Carmageddon into a unique opportunity,” he said Wednesday.

Villaraigosa’s not the only one seizing the opportunity to drum up business this weekend.

A helicopter company is advertising $150 rides to zip people to downtown and Los Angeles International Airport. JetBlue is providing $4 to $5, 30-minute “Over the 405″ flights between Long Beach Airport and Bob Hope Airport in Burbank, calling the service a “planepool” between the San Fernando Valley and the beach.

Hotels and restaurants are offering discounts, movie theaters along the freeway are giving away popcorn. A fitness instructor suggests “Carmageddon yoga” for stressed-out drivers. And Dr. Arnold Klein, Michael Jackson’s longtime dermatologist, is giving 25 percent off on Botox injections.

“Instead of being stuck on the freeway and not being able to do anything you could be in my office and be more beautiful,” Klein said.

Waze, a company that provides GPS navigation applications for smartphones, set up a website and plastered posters across the city to urge drivers to sign up for its service and survive “this imminent disaster.”

Dire warnings have been shown to work during the 1984 summer Olympics and a 1987 visit by Pope John Paul II. The city braced for the worst, but traffic flowed freely because people avoided driving.

Some people are making the best of the circumstance by organizing mass bicycle rides and neighborhood parties.

The pastor of a church on Mulholland Drive moved his Sunday service to a theater so his roughly 3,000 congregants can worship.

Mark Wadsworth of Bel Air Presbyterian Church said he doesn’t expect everyone to attend. He compared the circumstance to Colorado, where he previously preached, when fewer people showed on snowy days.

“This is the L.A. version of a snow Sunday,” he said.

Meanwhile Moshe Shmuel, who’s expecting 120 guests at his Saturday wedding, said he was worried that some people flying in from Israel and South Africa may have trouble getting from the airport to the ceremony at a private estate in Bel Air. He told his guests to leave extra early so they can show up on time.

“Lucky for us, the rabbi lives close-by. He doesn’t need to take the freeway,” Shmuel said.

NJ Man’s Traffic Stop-Strip Search Case Taken To Supreme Court