Ani Ucar

A toilet paper rose left for a gay inmate by his lover

How the Beatles Saved the Gay Inmates of L.A. Men’s Central Jail

Ani Ucar
The Beatles are revered for many things music, but they also inspired a series of events that established the unique gay wing at L.A. County Men’s Central Jail. In an L.A. Weekly exclusive last November, we reported that the gay and transgender inmates in the so-called "K6G" dorms had fostered......
LAPD's airborne division flies above the clouds.; Credit: Ani Ucar

LAPD Helicopter Ride-Along Over City Sees Action Like a Silent Movie (VIDEO)

Ani Ucar
Helicopter Command Pilot Stuart Lomax soars above an LAPD bust, Dodger Stadium, the Hollywood Sign, Santa Monica Pier, sprawling hillside mansions and Downtown L.A. as part of the world's largest airborne law enforcement operation.  At all times during daylight hours, at least two LAPD helos circle the 468.7-square-mile city. Lomax......
It doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg.; Credit: Laurie Avocado

6 Awesome LAUSD Schools in Affordable Neighborhoods

Ani Ucar
With more than 1,000 public and charter schools, Los Angeles Unified School District is fighting to regain its reputation from the 1950s, when it was a stellar academic system that taught kids to excel in math, reading, science and writing. Today, though, finding a good school in a neighborhood that......
Napoleon Dynamite; Credit: Ava Lowery

A Visit With Pedro, 10 Years After Napoleon Dynamite

Ani Ucar
When I say Napoleon Dynamite, you say Pedro Sanchez. But here’s a trivia question: What’s Pedro’s real name? Answer: Efren Ramirez. Yes, many people don't know the real-life Pedro, even though he's been working nonstop since his character's famous run for class president ten years ago in the cult classic......

Is Heiress Wallis Annenberg Hijacking the Ballona Wetlands?

Ani Ucar
Nudged on by heiress Wallis Annenberg and her promise of more than $50 million in private funds, state officials are ramping up an argument that a chunk of the Ballona Wetlands — a protected ecological reserve — is suited for an urban park with buildings, signs, paths, parking lots and......
Hear no evil

Proposition 42 Wins: Who Pays for Government Transparency?

Ani Ucar
It looks like the state of California may soon no longer be required to foot the bill for the costs of local governments' complying with the California Public Records Act and open meetings laws. Proposition 42, which requires local governments to follow the Public Records Act and the Brown Act,......
Robert "Bob" Hertzberg.; Credit: Christopher Michel

"Huggy Bear" Bob Hertzberg Eyes State Senate District 18

Ani Ucar
It's been more than a decade since former California Assembly Speaker Bob Hertzberg was in the political arena, and now, hoping to make a comeback, he's running for the San Fernando Valley's 18th State Senate District in the June 3 primary election. Nicknamed "Huggy Bear" for giving bearlike hugs to......