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Sawtelle apartment complex to evict residents of hundreds of units for sprinkler retrofit

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

Hundreds of Angelenos will soon have to find a new place to live after a Sawtelle complex announced the eviction of all residents due to a costly renovation project.Barrington Plaza, located at 11740 Wilshire Blvd., suffered dramatic and destructive fires in 2013 and 2020, partly because it does not have fire sprinklers. One person died and 13 people were hurt in the second blaze.Because it was built in the early 1960s, it is exempt from laws requiring fire sprinklers, though as part of approving repairs after the 2020 fire, city officials demanded safety upgrades, according to the Los Angeles Times. Man Injured in Brentwood High-Rise Apartment Building Fire Dies The $300 million project will take years, and under a state law known as the Ellis Act, the owners of the Barrington Plaza are providing residents relocation fees and financial assistance — up to as much as $22,000, according to the Times — so they can take units, including those that are rent stabilized, off the rental m...

Incredible videos show blue whale off SoCal coast

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

Blue whale season started off with a bang in SoCal, as passengers traveling with Dana Wharf Whale Watching and Davey's Locker & Newport Coastal Adventure Whale Watching got a special treat. Passengers were able to catch a glimpse of the largest animal on Earth as it traveled from San Clemente up to Newport Beach.Dana Wharf passengers saw the blue whale Sunday morning. The whale was spotted swimming between the San Clemente Pier and the Dana Point Headlands as it circled around while feeding. At times, it came within a mile of the shoreline. Dana Wharf Captain Tommy White said, “When you think that the blue whale is the largest animal to live on the planet, bigger than a dinosaur or a megalodon, that is amazing!”  Drone video taken by Photographer Mark Girardeau for @NewportCoastalAdventure The owner of Dana Wharf Whale Watching, Donna Kalez, said, "Seeing the largest animal on the planet takes your breath away and reminds you how truly lu...

1st reactions of Disney's live-action 'The Little Mermaid'

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

Disney's highly anticipated live-action remake of "The Little Mermaid" was screened for the first time on Monday night. The big world premiere of the film took place in Hollywood and a press screening was hosted in Burbank. KTLA 5's Sam Rubin attended the screening and was immediately impressed by Halle Bailey's performance as Ariel. Disney releases new poster for live-action ‘Little Mermaid’ movie "After the opening number ('Part of Your World'), the crowd in Burbank applauds in the theater," Sam exclaimed. "Halle can really, really sing!"Sam wasn't the only person impressed. While formal reviews aren't out yet, people took to social media to share their reactions. Singer Kelly Rowland was over the moon. "The Little Mermaid is truly AN EPIC WATCH!!! The music in this movie!" she tweeted after attending the premiere. "FREAKINGGGGGGGWOWWWWW!! You laugh, you cry, you sing along!! I know I’m gonna be singing these songs For weeks to come!!!!!!" Disney releases new ‘Little Mermaid’...

Utah mom accused of killing husband with fentanyl wrote grief book following death

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

A Utah woman who wrote a children's book about coping with grief following the death of her husband has been charged with murder, according to court documents obtained by KTLA sister station KTVX.Kouri Richins was arrested on May 8 in Summit County for aggravated murder and three counts of possession of drugs with intent to distribute, court records show. The alleged murder occurred on March 3, 2022, a day before Richins' husband, Eric Richins, died "unexpectedly," per his obituary. He and Kouri were married for nine years and had three young sons together.Kouri Richins appears on KTVX in Salt Lake City, Utah. (KTVX)This photo provided by KPCW.org shows Kouri Richins at the KPCW studio in Park City, Utah, April 12, 2023. Richins was arrested on Monday, May 8, in Utah and is accused in charging documents of poisoning her husband with a lethal dose of fentanyl at their home in Kamas, a small mountain town near Park City. (KPCW.org via AP)According to court documents, Eric was found de...

Javier Dominguez Injured after Vehicle Collision on 101 Freeway [Ventura County, CA]

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

49-Year-Old Pedestrian Suffers Injuries after Being Struck by Vehicle near Rose AvenueVENTURA COUNTY, CA (May 9, 2023) – Thursday afternoon, Javier Dominguez was injured following a vehicle collision.The incident happened on May 4th just before 3:14 p.m. at the 101 Freeway involving a pedestrian and a 2017 Chevrolet 3500 utility truck.According to the police, 49-year-old Dominguez ran across the northbound lanes of the freeway heading southbound when he was struck by the Chevy driven by a 63-year-old man.Furthermore, the impact of the collision sent Dominguez into the third lane of the southbound freeway.Consequently, the driver of the Chevy remained at the scene and the officers conducted w sobriety test which he passed.Meanwhile, Dominguez was transported to Ventura County Medical Center for treatment. His condition was not yet known.Also, the officers blocked the southbound lanes of the freeway for almost seven hours. An active investigation is still ongoing.Walking drunk p...

Woman Killed in Solo-Car Crash on Highway 152 [Los Banos, CA]

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

Solo-Car Crash into Tree on Highway 152 near Bloomfield Avenue Left a 24-Year-Old Woman DeadLOS BANOS, CA (May 9, 2023) – Early Monday morning, a solo-car crash on Highway 152 claimed the life of a 24-year-old woman.The incident occurred on May 1st, just before 4:00 a.m. in the highway’s eastbound lanes, just west of Bloomfield Avenue.Initial investigation showed that the BMW was occupied by a 23-year-old woman, who was driving, and her passenger, a 24-year-old female.According to reports, the driver was traveling at 65 miles per hour on the eastbound lanes when she made an unsafe turn and lost control of the BMW. The vehicle continued to travel on the south shoulder and struck a tree.Emergency crews arrived shortly after and transported the passenger of the BMW to San Jose Regional Medical Center where she later died.At this time, authorities have not released the identity of the victim. The solo-car crash on Highway 152 remains under investigation.In this sorrowful tim...

Young Boy Hurt in Bicycle Collision on Woodrow Avenue [San Diego, CA]

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

11-Year-Old Boy Injured in Bicycle Collision on Woodrow Avenue near Marjorie Drive in Lomita NeighborhoodSAN DIEGO, CA (May 9, 2023) – Early Thursday evening, a young boy sustained injuries in a bicycle collision on Woodrow Avenue.Officers responded to the scene around 5:30 p.m., at the 1300 block of Woodrow Avenue, near Marjorie Drive in the Lomita neighborhood.Upon arrival, officers learned that a boy riding a bicycle crossed over the northbound lanes and onto the east sidewalk. The child then left the sidewalk in a westerly direction and was struck by a northbound Hyundai Elantra.Paramedics said the 11-year-old boy suffered leg injuries which are not considered life-threatening.Meanwhile, the 37-year-old female Hyundai driver stayed at the scene and cooperated with the police. Police said that drugs and alcohol did not play a factor in the incident.The San Diego Police Department Traffic Division is asking anyone with information about the Woodrow Avenue crash to contact 85...

California city transitioning entire police car fleet to Teslas

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

SOUTH PASADENA  — A small Southern California city is transitioning to an all-electric police car fleet.The city of South Pasadena is acquiring 20 Teslas for patrol duties, administration and detective work, the Los Angeles Times reported Monday.The plan includes 10 Tesla Model Y vehicles, 10 Tesla Model 3 cars and more than 30 charging ports at South Pasadena City Hall, including some for public use.Some vehicles are already in use and others still need to be outfitted, Deputy City Manager Domenica Megerdichian told the Times.Related ArticlesCrime and Public Safety | Tesla fired ‘angry Black woman’ after ‘maniacal’ White manager sought illegal termination of Latina worker: lawsuit Crime and Public Safety | EVs are cleaning up California’s air, but mostly for the affluent Crime and Public Safety | Americans insist on 300 miles of EV range. They’re right Crime and Public Safety | Letters: Walkable stre...

Ex-Pakistani PM arrested, sparking widespread violence

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

By Munir Ahmed and Riazat Butt | Associated PressISLAMABAD — Pakistan’s former Prime Minister Imran Khan was arrested and dragged from court Tuesday as he appeared to face charges in multiple graft cases, a dramatic escalation of political tensions that sparked violent demonstrations by his angry supporters across the country.The arrest of Khan, who was ousted in a no-confidence vote in April 2022 but remains the leading opposition figure, represented the latest confrontation to roil Pakistan, which has seen former prime ministers arrested over the years and interventions by its powerful military.At least one person was reported killed in clashes between protesters and the military in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, with another five people wounded there, while about 15 injuries were reported amid similar violence in Karachi, Peshawar, Rawalpindi and Lahore. Police fired tear gas to disperse demonstrations.Amid the violence, officials at Pakistan’s telecommu...

CAAMfest returns to S.F. with maybe its splashiest lineup yet

Published Wed, 12 Feb 2025 12:30:53 GMT

In an encouraging indicator that Hollywood might, just might, be responding to increased demand for high-profile, high-quality films concentrated on the Asian experience, this year’s CAAMFest — billed as the world’s largest showcase for Asian and Asian American movies — contains a few hyped studio features within its lineup.The most eye-catching are the raucous R-rated opening night feature “Joy Ride” — a wild comedy that receives a huge theatrical release July 7 — and the Disney+ streaming series “American Born Chinese,” adapted from the award-winning graphic novel by the East Bay’s own Gene Luen Yang.But let’s not get too ecstatic about how Hollywood is making up for its prior shortcomings. And there’s still room for improvement given that there are numerous worthwhile shorts, documentaries and narrative features, most of which haven’t caught the eye of big studios yet.As for CAAMFest, it kicks off May 11 off in a splashy and tremendous way with...